Andrea - A Story of An Unusual Kind of Love
by DiamondsandPearls51
Summary: Can a disfigured young woman find true love? Is there anyone in her midst who is willing to look beyond her physical deformities to discover the extraordinary beauty hidden deep within her heart, or is she doomed to live a life of loneliness and scorn? A retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
1. Chapter 1

**Andrea** \- _A Story of An Unusual Kind of Love_

by DiamondsandPearls51

She sat perfectly still in the eerie shadows of her dimly lit room, tightly gripping her silver hairbrush between thick, strong fingers, and staring blankly into her large silver framed, and cracked looking glass. She glared sadly and intently at the girl looking back at her, whom she did not even recognize to be her own reflection! Was it in _fact_ , a _girl_? What in blazes was this odd and unfortunate creature doing lurking inside the glassy surface she saw before her?

Surely, this strange fiend could not be human! Surely, this broken mirror she forlornly stared into was a vicious teller of lies! The hideous phantom she gravely witnessed there was indeed a figment of her vivid imagination! _It just had to be!_

It was a mirror from hell! That's what it was! Father brought it back from an old thrift shop in the Netherlands as a birthday gift for her two years ago...how cruel of him! He did it because...because... _she nearly choked on silent sobs_ , because...

He wanted her to see how extraordinarily _beautiful_ she was!

Blasphemy! It was a face only a parent could love! The only thing this wretched mirror did was hurtfully remind her every day of her life, that she was "different." She constantly cursed the day Father brought it into the house! Of course, the old fool meant well. But instead of it coming across as a present of love and admiration, it became a cruel object of mockery.

This was why its shiny surface was cracked. A few weeks back, after a bad day of being taunted by some neighborhood urchins, she swiftly darted home, locked herself up inside of the fortress of her lonely room, violently threw herself on to her bed and buried her head in a mountain of pillows, and cried bitter, angry tears, only pausing long enough to hurl a shoe at the mysterious looking glass. She watched in triumph through red, swollen eyes, as the shattered crystal fragments of it fell like snow onto the polished wooden floors. The golden rays of the late afternoon sun, brightly peeking in through lace curtains, shined generously down on the broken glass, making them resemble a stream of tiny, glimmering diamonds.

The awful memory of that day kept haunting her. Far worse than the name calling and the evil songs children made up to tease her, were the stares of intense pity from grown-ups. Their sorrowful ogling undoubtedly, was what made her sick to her stomach.

This face indeed, was the Devil's work!

Truly, no wonderful and merciful Creator could have formed something as grotesque and frighteningly hideous as she. Presently, hot tears stung her sea green eyes as she struggled hard to fight them back.

Sadly for her, this had become her nightly ritual. Nowadays, right after suppertime, without fail, she would sit staring at her marred reflection, with the crack in the glass, shaped like a spider web.

Funny,... her looks never _really_ bothered her until recently. She was never acutely aware of her deformity until now. Perhaps it was because she was becoming a young woman...but most of all, it could have had something to do with someone she had taken a great fancy to, as of late.

But really, could this certain special someone she was secretly eyeing, actually take an interest in _something_ like her?


	2. Chapter 2

They all lived together in a little stone cottage by the sea, which was situated high on a lofty grassy hill. In the summertime, pale white roses magically appeared on climbing vines which richly covered the small building's rough exterior. It was currently late spring, and budding hints of the beautiful blossoms soon to come, were visible in some areas along the extensive, wiry vines.

How the poor merchant loved this remote little place which was miles away from the city. He could think clearly here while taking long walks along the pale, sandy shore, and deeply breathe in the putrid smell of salt drifting in from the unsettling ocean. Countless times, the old man would stand still on these white beaches, staring pensively and in deep concentration at those large and mysterious waves which often brought back fond memories for him.

These were memories of when he would sail to far off lands in search of wonderful treasures to bring back to his homeland of France to sell to wealthy buyers. Oh, those were exciting and adventurous times! His days were filled with the buying and selling of valuable goods from distant lands such as the Orient, Africa and the West Indies. The wares he bought and sold consisted of fine jewelry, exotic furniture, silks, satins and lace and brocade for the construction of expensive clothing, and not to mention, an abundance of furs. His nights were filled with grand balls and parties where royalty and important officials were present.

There were also rich spices and tea and imported wine, which he brought back from these exotic places. His profession afforded him a very comfortable existence. And although a widower, he deemed himself, content. Yes, old Ferdinand was a very wealthy merchant indeed. He was able to live in a vast and exquisite mansion with his four children. He was the very proud father of a fine son and three lovely daughters.

Frederick, or Freddy, was a tall and handsome young man with soft, wavy brown hair and emerald green eyes, which perfectly matched those of his three younger siblings. He had a small dimple in his chin, and the young ladies in the village, and even those from the outskirts of town, would give him no peace, because to them, he was literally a mobile work of art. Nowadays, as he dared to venture into the bustling market place to purchase bread and fresh fish and goat's milk for his family to live on for the week, the ladies would sometimes shamelessly follow him around, and other times, trail him on the sly. The young man _dared_ because he absolutely despised shopping in these crowded areas, and quite frankly, women frightened him. They frightened him with their forwardness and unapologetic nosiness.

The inquisitive young women would pretend to be shopping, while keeping a close eye on their prey. If he stopped to examine tomatoes or yams, or to fill a small sack with brown sugar, they would stop whenever he stopped, and proceed whenever he moved on to the next vendor, eager to sell their wares. The clever young man was keenly aware of this nonsense and like the secretly gay person that he was, paid these sirens no mind at all. Once he was done with his browsing and buying, he skillfully escaped their prying eyes as he nimbly disappeared into the dense crowd, and safely made his way home on foot.

His two other sisters Annabella, the second born and Alyssa, the third born, also suffered the same "inconvenience" as their attractive and longsuffering brother Freddy. With their long and flowing rust colored hair which fell past their shapely waists the men in their quaint little neighborhood went wild with brazen desire every moment the girls came into view. The sisters strutted the crowded cobblestone streets with pride whenever they went into the village. Their beautiful heads, attached to swan-like necks were held high, and their perfect postures were held strategically erect.

Their full, plump and creamy bosoms jutted out purposefully to send all male oglers into a dizzying tailspin. The sisters lavishly adored the attention of the male species, and fiendishly delighted in making them swoon and drool over them consistently. The girls were quite a tease. They seemed to parade their "goods" mercilessly around women hungry men. And many of these men had wives, but Annabella and Alyssa cared not! As long as they were at the center of attention, all was right with the world!

The whistles and cat calls they received in abundance from lewd dolts, were like music to the sisters' ears and a tremendous boost to their huge and ever hungry egos. Their attitude was "Look, but don't touch!" His daughters' behavior in these matters greatly worried the old merchant. He feared one of them or both of them would find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time and get into a dangerous situation with one or more of these tricky, silver tongued men.

Their father's constant warnings about this, always fell on deaf ears. "Oh Papa, don't be silly!" "We are grown women, and we know what we are doing!" They would often sing, light heartedly. They would even laugh at him whenever he brought up the subject.

To add more gray hairs to the patriarch's head, the girls wore form fitting dresses which flowed to their ankles, but outlined every curve of their enticing figures.

How the poor Ferdinand would earnestly pray for his foolish daughters' safety and protection!

But all of his efforts seemed like they were in vain.

How the old man longed for the former days when they were rich, and his dear children did not have to go into the villages to work and buy food to keep up their meager existence. Damn that wretched tempest which took all of their wealth away! It was that vicious storm at sea many years ago, which changed their lives forever. All of his trade ships containing valuable wares were destroyed. His livelihood and lavish lifestyle was gone in just one stormy night. The family was then forced out of their mansion and into this lowly cottage, which took much time getting used to. Going from great riches to extreme poverty was hard on every one of them.

Their circumstances revealed their true selves. Freddy was the only one who did not seem phased by the unfortunate events. He had the gift of being content in whatever situation he was in. Annabella and Alyssa were all the more selfish and vain, and kept bothering their father for fine clothes and jewelry, even though they _knew_ he was unable to afford such things. They blamed him for the storm! They loathed their simple dresses with patches in them. They argued that if they weren't so beautiful, they would have easily blended in with all the other peasant women in their midst!

Their dire situation even drove the old man to the bottle. He often sent Freddy into the marketplace to buy cheap wine. Many times, the drink helped him forget. Other times, the terrible liquid made him dream of his beautiful and deceased wife, Althea. Oh, what he wouldn't do to have her back in his weary arms again! Damn the sickness that spitefully took her! They were very happy together, and the heavens did not like that, so they took her! She developed scarlet fever while pregnant with his last child.

Andrea.

Andrea was a most unusual creature...an enigma, so to speak.

Was it previously mentioned that he had _three_ lovely daughters? Well...to him, Andrea was...well...lovely, in spite of the deformity. She was, after all _his_ child. And what parent, having an unattractive child, would find their own flesh and blood unattractive? Certainly not he!

Her deformity came as a result of her mother's illness, while she was still an unborn baby, forming in the womb... or so the doctors told him. Another source, who happened to lay eyes upon the child after its birth and the death of its mother, related to the distraught father, that his daughter's misfortune was indeed the work of the devil!

This far fetched and seemingly foolish revelation came from Madam Dorothea, an old woman whom the villagers said was actually a witch. She lived deep in the woods on the outskirts of the busy town. She was known for casting evil and even _good_ spells, according to what you were paying her to do, and making love _and_ hate potions and predictions and revelations etc. etc. for those who believed in her "nonsense."

The old merchant was indeed among the foolish believers, and valued this old woman's warped opinion above those of the learned doctors. He had a love of the mysterious and mystical realms, which went far beyond reality. Perhaps this was because of his life on the seas. What was it about sea merchants and sailors which made them believe in the occult? When Althea was alive, she often scolded her husband for his odd attachments to the supernatural.

Anyhow, Madam Dorothea predicted that Andrea would be a special child and would have to fight hard to defend herself in life because of the thick, dark growth which completely covered the left side of the poor girl's face. The evil old witch fearfully labeled the deformity,... the "Mark of the Beast."


	3. Chapter 3

His name was Richard, and how the unsightly and utterly lovesick Andrea adored him! He was a young man about her age of twenty-two. He avidly studied chemistry in hopes of becoming a man of science someday. The lonely girl knew everything there was to know about the object of her affections. She was accustomed to seeing him within the vicinity of the village schoolhouse of higher learning, where "normal looking" young men and women attended. The unfortunate girl was very careful to keep her distance and to remain unseen, often hiding or creeping around thick bushes or ducking behind the massive oak trees which thickly surrounded the large schoolyard, in order to secretly and hungrily gaze upon this handsome creature.

Andrea would pull the peach colored chiffon scarf she often wore while going out in public, over the affected area of her face. As it was securely wrapped around her head and neck, she proudly kept the right side of her features exposed. It was her best side...a side of her which was indeed delightfully stunning, to say the least! Her green eye on that side of her face, sparkled attractively, whenever she smiled. Her skin was smooth and flawless and cream colored. Her plump cheek on that perfect side, boasted a rosy hue, in which any girl, no matter what their age, would be hotly envious of.

Oh, and her full and luscious lips...on that good side, was a shimmering pink color. Just the slightest glimpse of it would make a young man yearn to kiss it. One half of her lips would have to satisfy the unsuspecting gentleman, because the other half was as black as tar, as was the entire left side of her face. Her left eye was thankfully, untouched by the curse which devilishly plagued her, and it gleamed with mysterious beauty as it was surrounded by all that unusually dark flesh. The rest of her was indeed attractive. She was tall and had a beautiful figure. She moved with the grace of a gazelle.

The skin on the rest of her body was soft and silky and pink with excellent health. Her extremities were elegantly shaped. The slender fingers and perfectly formed toes were the tremendous envy of even her alluring sisters. And then there was her hair. It flowed to her waist like a silk curtain, and shined bright like fire in the blinding sunshine. It too was a brazen red like the lovely locks of her female siblings.

Yes, many a night this poor lass would cry great tears as her heart ached over her half-ugliness. She could not comprehend why that awful part of her face did not match the rest of her body! What drove her nearly insane was that there was nothing to remedy this wretched deformity!

All the so called witches and wizards and old wives, her father tirelessly took her to, (as she made him do it), could not even remotely help her.

Their useless charms, potions, spells and incantations did absolutely nothing to rid her of "The Mark." Perhaps that is why these fake magicians lived deep in the forest, Andrea often pondered, because they were shunned and ostracized and rightfully loathed by society! They were a sorry lot of charlatans who tricked fools like her father who believed strongly in them, into parting with their money. Customers who paid a fortune to these "criminals," received no results in their healing whatsoever! No wonder these tricksters hid deep in the forest! They _had_ to! It was for their own safety! She herself wanted to see them all hanged in the village square!

Andrea never would have gone to such thieves if her dolt of a father had not suggested it. The merchant had grown exceedingly wary of his daughter's constant wailing and endless complaints about her looks, that he convinced her to seek the assistance of these sly sorcerers.

The old merchant took money which he did not have to begin with, and spent it all on finding a cure for his beloved Andrea's ailment. Strangely enough, Ferdinand thought his darling daughter was uniquely and supremely gorgeous, and he strongly believed that she should stop covering up that "evil" side of her face.

The girl was utterly mortified at his suggestion, but then, after some long and intense coaxing, the patriarch finally persuaded her to venture out just a few yards from the cottage with her face entirely unmasked. At first, Andrea loved the exhilarating feeling of freedom, suddenly surging throughout her innermost being as she took several cautious, yet liberating steps away from the safety and hiding place of the small cottage.

With every few steps, she would turn her head to nervously glance behind her to make certain that her father was still standing in the doorway watching her. His presence there gave her the will to keep on walking. If she became frightened or insecure, all she had to do was run swiftly back into his strong and protective arms. The day Andrea made this short journey from the cottage, which was fast becoming something more like a _prison_ to her, her face was uncovered for all the world to see. It was a very happy day for Ferdinand, indeed. He planned for her to engage in this intimidating feat, little by little, each and everyday, as long as the weather permitted. He believed that the more she did this, the better his daughter might feel about herself.

A single tear fell from the old merchant's eye as he cheerfully watched his daughter's demeanor change daily, as she ventured farther and farther away from their stone house. Andrea could feel the confidence she had lacked for so long, overwhelmingly filling her chest. The girl felt like she could conquer any obstacle and ignore any hurtful comment and scornful stare which were sure to come once some passersby shockingly got a glimpse of her features in the rays of the bright sunshine as she leisurely strolled across that grassy hill, near to where she lived.

A passing sea breeze softly, then strongly blew on the half marred skin of her face. It felt so incredibly refreshing. Why had she waited so long to take this walk of triumph?

Each day, her self-confidence gradually increased as she revealed her strange face to the sun, wind and sky. But then, the time unexpectedly came, when that same face would be revealed to what she feared the most...other human beings!

It was a day which started out pretty much like all the others long past. Andrea boldly and happily prepared for her usual walk, but this time, she instructed her father to remain indoors and not to act as her safety net. She was truly certain now, that after three weeks of this initially frightening exercise, that she had successfully managed to overcome her dreadful hang ups regarding her looks.

Ferdinand looked as though he had seen a ghost when his daughter gave him such unwise instructions. In his heart, he knew she was not ready to do this without even a smidgen of his help. Like the overprotective father that he was, he tried...in vain, to convince her that this was not such a good idea. Andrea would not listen, since she secretly thought of him as a fool. She loved him, but he often did and said silly things!

She decided then and there to rely on her own wisdom, and venture into the heavily populated town...of all places, in full view of the cruel world! How the poor merchant's heart sank when he learned of his daughter's brazen intentions!

Not even her doting big brother, Freddy could talk her out of this adventure. Andrea and Freddy were very close and they adored one another. They often spent time together fishing, swimming and talking of plans for a brighter future as they grew older. Such was not the case with her relationship to Annabella and Alyssa. Her two older sisters were very close and very much alike. They often hung out together and got into all sorts of mischief...even for grown women! They were often, and even _always_ seen together, to the point where Andrea gave them the distinctive nickname, "Joined At The Hip."

Andrea had an intense dislike for her sisters because they were selfish, but looked out for only one another. They were cruel, even to her, and highly disrespectful to her poor, aging father. They were the reason, besides the family being poor, why he drank himself often times, into a complete stupor!

Andrea just _knew_ her stone hearted sisters were going to put their father in his grave before the year was out! Surely, these two demons or _demonettes_...ah, a new nickname for them!, could not be her own flesh and blood!

It was on this particular day that "Joined At The Hip" encouraged her to go into town and boldly show her face. The sisters even applauded her for wanting to be so daring! Andrea did not know why she ignored the smirks on her sisters' faces and their wicked little giggles. She did not heed those warning signs. But she took things all in stride and did as she planned. Freddy and the old merchant watched with sadness and fear as Andrea departed from the comfort and hidden safety of her home with her fully exposed head held high with pride. After she left the house, Freddy furiously lashed out at the two devilish women for deceiving their own sister, who blindly trusted them!

It was not long before Andrea walked the mile into town, that she abruptly ran into, of all human beings, some young street urchins, on their way to school. It was perhaps five or six of them. Who knew? She remembered her brother adamantly warning her that children were exceedingly cruel. Good grief, she was about to learn this the hard way that day!

The children took one look at her, and they all began screaming in pretended fear, mocking her and calling her everything from a monster, to an animal. One of the boys picked up some rocks and began maliciously hurling them at her, and before long, all the rest followed his lead. Even the girls who were among them, gleefully took part in stoning her. One rock narrowly missed the good side of her face. Poor Andrea was terribly distraught and began to scream and cry.

She turned and ran as fast as she could, all the way home. The children followed in close pursuit, shouting horrific insults at her. They were viciously unyielding in their actions. Andrea felt the hard, painful sting of two rocks managing to land hard on her back, and one hit her on the back of her head. The sharp pain went surging through her scalp.

She just _knew_ she was bleeding then. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, and narrowly escaped those disgusting brats.

Finally, she reached the safety of the grassy hill and was thankfully relieved to see the inviting little cottage standing a few yards away in the distance, faithfully awaiting her return. Andrea left her attackers in the dust and ran straight to the open door of her home, where she found Ferdinand standing with tears in his eyes and arms widely extended to embrace his terrified daughter.

But she angrily pushed past him, nearly knocking the old man down with the great force in which she came flying through the door.

The poor girl ran straight to her room, slammed the door shut, threw herself onto her bed among her many pillows, and buried her odd face in them, crying bitterly. In the bedroom across the hall from hers, she knew she was not imagining things when she heard evil laughter coming from those two witches from hell!

She also saw them looking out of their bedroom window, jeering at her as she ran toward her distraught father. The entire scene was very hilarious to the two women!

Andrea was so angry that day, that she threw a shoe at that awful mirror Ferdinand brought back as a gift for her from the Netherlands.

She had never felt so humiliated and embarrassed as she did that day. The heartbroken girl then had wicked, yet delightful visions of murdering Annabella and Alyssa.

Ever since that horrific incident, the girl never left home again with her face fully uncovered. She also became a great introvert and recluse, and her self confidence which she had built up only weeks ago, was now entirely diminished.

As the disfigured girl hid behind one of the oak trees in that schoolyard, the events of that terrible day came viciously flooding back to her. She tried to block them out, but could not...until she noticed Richard almost magically emerge from the school building. Her dark mood changed to warm desire in an instant. Andrea's eyes were stubbornly fixed upon him.

He was surrounded by other students who were excitedly speaking to him, each and every one of them, male and female, seemed to fight for his attention. How popular he was, she sadly mused.

Andrea began to imagine that she was in this vivacious group of students, but as the fortunate girl holding on to Richard's hand. Yes, she imagined herself to be his girlfriend, and she imagined herself to be "normal looking" and just as popular as he was.

She remained watching him until the Headmaster eventually emerged from the building, feverishly clapping his hands as if shooing chickens, and anxiously urging the large group of pupils to leave the school grounds and not loiter. The students all scattered and went their separate ways, and the lonely Andrea watched with heartache, as her darling Richard was escorted home by two girls who cheerfully walked on either side of him, chatting happily away.

In reality, Andrea was lonely, _and a loner_ , except for the companionship of her brother. He was a brilliant man, who joyfully home-schooled her. He taught her many things and instilled a passionate love of books into her heart.

Freddy often brought all sorts of literature back for his depressed sister to read from the village library. Andrea would voraciously lose herself in them, and forget all of her troubles.

She would read well into the night, until her candle ultimately burned out.


	4. Chapter 4

Andrea had not left her room all that evening. The events of that tumultuous day still haunted her memories. The poor girl almost could not concentrate on the story in front of her without having to occasionally block out the traumatizing thoughts of those horrible children chasing her and stoning her. Large tears began to trickle down from her eyes as she remembered the intense look of hatred in the youngsters' eyes.

What a pity, she thought, for them to be so young and already conditioned to loathe what they found...or rather what their _parents_ found,... _different_. How heartbroken she was about the whole miserable business! Was life _always_ going to be like this for her? Was she destined to face a dark future filled with constant fear and torment, coming from malicious and ignorant individuals who wanted her banished from their sight? Must she always be shunned because of the way she looked?

It was just not fair! She did not ask to be born disfigured!

Her recent anger towards her Creator and imbedded hurt, caused her to stop praying altogether.

Many times she petitioned for a cure from her ailment, but she was only met with silence from _Him,_ and with no results.

She could no longer endure the pain or ridicule directed toward her if someone by chance happened to get a glimpse of her exposed skin.

But she decided then and there that she would save her mockers the trouble. They would never see her now, because she was never going to leave the protection of the tiny cottage ever again. Even if a fire were to completely engulf their little house, Andrea was prepared to burn with it! It would be a fitting end for someone who resembled a monster!

 _Save your burning torches, you village idiots! You will not have the satisfaction of pursuing me throughout the streets like I was some wicked witch who heartlessly kidnaped your children! You all will never be able to find me because I have already planned to make these four walls in which I live, my eternal prison!_

As she irately pondered this, she found herself very tempted to curse her silly parents for conceiving her.

Then, without warning, the image of the handsome Richard floated into her mind. She was no simpleton. Andrea was very much aware there would be no future for her with the endearing Richard. All this young man truly was, was a fantasy...a mere fantasy! Even when she would blissfully visualize them as being together as husband and wife, she had the deep seated notion that all might be fine between them, as long as she did not reveal her features to him...how that tore at her insides!

How on earth could they have a normal relationship if he never saw her face?

 _My own husband...the one dearest to me, would find even my very appearance, revolting!_

 _Come to think of it, he would not marry me in the first place!_

No, that was certainly _no way_ to live!

To ensure that her fragile heart would be safe from all harm, she would keep it securely tucked away. She would fiercely guard it like the precious jewel that it was. She decided then, that no human being would ever have easy access to it to toy with it, drop it, then shatter it into a trillion pieces.

She was now determined to stop pining after Richard.

Yes, Andrea believed she deserved true love, but the man who was willing to look beyond her grotesqueness, and love her _romantically_ , probably did not even exist! She was resigned now to be single.

 _If it means me being alone in the world without truly knowing what it is like to be desired, then, so be it. I will not open myself up to be hurt in such a way, nor to be destroyed by the ignorance of others around me. So once again, I will never leave the confines of my home!_

After almost an hour of tossing and turning in torment, the girl eventually lay motionless on her bed with many pillows.

She sadly daydreamed about a fortunate princess she just read about in a faerie book which lay wide open beside her. Freddy happened to spy it resting on a table in a dark corner, abandoned, when he visited the village library a fortnight ago. He carefully surveyed his surroundings, and seeing that all was clear, he secretly stuffed the large picture book under his cloak, and successfully smuggled it out of the vicinity.

Andrea had been in low spirits for months, and by his unacceptable act of thievery, Freddy was merely trying to bring some joy into his sister's gloomy world. And how remarkably his gesture worked, too! When he proudly presented the treasure to her, an instant smile appeared on her grave countenance, and she gratefully threw her slender arms around him.

This studious young lady, being an incurable lover of faerie tales, fondly cherished this wonderful gift from the one she dearly loved, besides her aging father.

Although the book was purloined, and its outside cover and pages were well worn and frayed with age, Andrea was extremely delighted with this morsel she practically feasted upon each and every day.

Surely, Ferdinand the fool could learn a thing or two from his son in the art of gift giving, the girl angrily mused.

 _A mirror? Really?_ She thought back to the time when the looking glass was presented to her. Andrea recalled how stunned she was upon seeing it. _A mirror of all things!,...and for someone in her condition? Indeed!_

She momentarily turned her attention back to the book.

What Andrea would not readily give to be as carefree and content as the heroine she met in those yellowing pages of that enchanting book! The princess was wealthy, like she once was,...and not too long ago, either. And of course, this female was breathtakingly beautiful...which she obviously was not.

And it would certainly not be a faerie tale if this princess did not find love. But, she _found it_ , naturally! Andrea immediately pushed the possibility of _herself_ finding love, from her thoughts. She would not think of such foolishness anymore!

But forget beauty and money. Andrea had brains! Thanks to the unlimited efforts of her loving and determined brother to educate her! She would far surpass these trifling young women her age, in the exciting world of scholastics. And if she could finally get over her wretched appearance, she could leave the house, obtain a scholarship to a prestigious facility of higher learning and perhaps become a scientist, or even a physician.

Such a thing had been unheard of for women in her day. This was the Nineteenth Century.

But Andrea could care less. Nothing would stop her, only her looks...how unfortunate!

How stupid of her to allow herself to be in bondage over her features! This was a problem which _had_ to be dealt with, and quickly!

Freddy was a joy as a "school master," too, always finding inventive ways to hold his sister's attention. Book learning at times could become very tedious, but never with this imaginative genius she had as an instructor. Freddy would put on plays, to act something out to make the work before her easier to comprehend. Or, he would simply take their classroom outdoors into the fields, marketplaces and even the outskirts of town to broaden her horizons.

They both would excitedly explore the world around them and drink up all the water they could obtain from the fountain of knowledge. Freddy made living and learning an adventure! All this was done of course with the girl's face being carefully shielded. Yes, they received strange looks every now and then from the many they encountered, but their trips together were basically void of any drama from townsfolk.

They were both exceedingly thankful for that!

Freddy made Andrea hunger unceasingly for knowledge. His unselfish treatment of her, made her love him all the more! How blessed she was to have him as a brother!

He toiled endlessly in sharpening her skills in a vast array of subjects, from the sciences to mathematics, to even learning four languages–(she was proficient in them all), to the arts and of course... music.

Andrea harbored an intense love of all of those subjects, but it was the music she greatly adored most of all. For a few hours in the day, when she would take a break from Freddy's tutoring, she would play lovely classical pieces on the huge grand piano, which sat in a corner of the sitting room of the little stone house.

This black, shiny and majestic instrument was the only thing in the house left to them as a reminder of their former days of wealth and importance.

Whenever Andrea started to play, her father and even her jealous sisters, would find ultimate joy in her performance. It seemed like all the tension in their surroundings magically melted away at the sound of music coming from that grand instrument.

She played so beautifully that Ferdinand would stop his binge drinking for a few hours while he listened. Andrea played exquisitely, just like her mother did when she was alive. The playing brought tears to the old man's eyes as he would imagine his wife sitting in the place of his daughter, at the piano.

Ghostly images of a mansion filled with prominent guests at one of many elaborate parties they held, almost regularly, invaded his weary and drunken mind. Oh, and how he and Althea waltzed the night away with envious onlookers surrounding them. They had not a care in the world. They were healthy and prosperous, not realizing that their happiness and contentment would abruptly come to a crashing end.

His visions of his lost Althea were becoming more and more frequent with each passing day.

He knew he had to put down the bottle sooner or later. But, tomorrow...tomorrow he would stop drinking altogether! This time, he would succeed! But as all the tomorrows came and went, they would without fail, find the old man forlorn and stubbornly clutching his bottle of spirits.

Whenever Madam Dorothea visited, (she was the old merchant's "friend," only because he could not will himself free from utter superstition), the obnoxious old witch would closely look Ferdinand over and then predict his immediate death!

Her dire news would send the poor man into fits of tears, until Freddy had to remind his gullible father that the old witch had been making such a prediction for months, and that Ferdinand was still very much in the land of the living! But this did nothing to sway the old merchant. He still believed this sorceress from hell. Perhaps it was because he did not find life worth living anymore, void of Althea.

As he often did, once Madam Dorothea was done making her awful prediction, Freddy would proceed to throw the old woman out of their house. And as always, the brazen fortune-teller would protest loudly, and demand payment for her 'pretended' services.

"Oh, you'll receive payment, alright," Freddy would growl at her. "It will be when the authorities finally capture you and burn you at the steak in the village square! That is _my_ _prediction_ for you, you old hag!"

Freddy thought it was a pity that this clever old crone had managed to trick his father out of his savings on many an occasion. So much so, that the young man was beginning to doubt the story that a vicious storm is what wiped out the family's riches.

Night was now creeping over the entire countryside. As the little cottage gradually grew dark indoors, it was Alyssa's task to light all the candles in the house. After some time passed and supper was ended, much of the household retired to bed.

Andrea was thankful that she was not ravenously hungry. The last people on earth she wanted to see, or dine with, were her two rotten sisters. She would sooner gouge out her eyes than to see them again. But she did not want to hurt herself. She wanted to seek revenge on them for their heartlessness towards her.

 _Why do they hate me so much?_

Just then, a light tapping at her bedroom door brought Andrea immediately out of her sad pondering. She abruptly pushed herself up into a sitting position.

"Come...come in!" Her voice was still hoarse from her earlier screams of terror.

The door slowly opened to reveal Freddy's strong form. He carried a tray, on which sat a cup of milk a small loaf of bread and some grapes. He gently placed the wooden tray on a small table next to her bed.

The room was shrouded in darkness except for a tiny candle burning in a far off corner.

Andrea was beginning to love hiding in the dark. This really irked Freddy, but he said nothing about it to her.

"How are you feeling sister?" He asked, concerned. Clearly, the trauma of the day had not altogether worn off yet. He could still see in the dim light, the despair in her sharp green eyes.

She was silent, as she tried to swallow a lump that was stuck in her throat. A single teardrop followed. Freddy sat at the foot of her bed, but then reached over to wipe the tear away with his thumb. The droplet fell on the dark side of her face. But, as he had done so lovingly many times before, he touched the affected area as though the flesh there was normal. He was never put off by the thick, smooth texture of it.

Andrea smiled lopsidedly at him.

He wished he were in possession of a magic wand, just then, so that he could wave it around her and make her beautiful...the way she wanted to be. But he thought she was perfect just the way she was. But he was her brother, and he was gay. But the love between Freddy and his sister was beyond beautiful, and it was eternal. He strongly wished this type of love for his beloved Andrea to experience in her lifetime, with someone special _and_ on a romantic level.

"So,... I see that sadness still lives deep within you." He sighed, gloomily.

Andrea's bottom lip trembled. Freddy keenly observed this. She struggled to hold back more tears. "I feel so sad Freddy." The girl softly whispered. The pain in her hushed tone nearly broke his heart. He was quiet for a moment, then felt the urge to fight the dark and unseen forces hovering around them. Then he finally spoke.

"Then, we will have to forcibly uproot the sadness!" He forcefully declared, and began mercilessly tickling his sister.

Andrea squealed so loudly with pure delight, that eventually, "Joined At The Hip," emerged from their bedroom across the hall with a start!

Andrea's door had been left ajar so that the two women thought it was safe to enter.

They did not care in the least, but barged in anyway.

Freddy and Andrea froze in their frolicking, but still held on to one another tightly. The keen look of surprise was etched in both their faces.

"Oh, what have we here, Alyssa?" Annabella spoke in a mocking tone of voice.

"Two people who could find no one else in the world to love them, but each other, Annabella!"

Alyssa's tone closely mirrored her sister's.

"Let us arrange for their wedding on the morrow!" Annabella wickedly laughed!

"Yes, dear Annabella, we _must_ tell Papa!" Alyssa sang, impishly.

"Oh how devastated he would be!" Annabella shrieked.

Freddy suddenly sprang from the bed, grabbed a brush and hurled it hard at them. It bounced off the wall near the door and left a mark there.

"Indeed, He will be devastated when he finds your dead and rotting bodies hidden in the closet of his bed chamber!" Andrea laughed at this while Freddy chased the two villainesses from her bedroom.

She needed a good laugh!

 _Thank you Freddy!_ _You made my day...as always!_

00000000000000000000

Meanwhile, in a castle miles away from the town in which the old merchant dwelled, a _very_ _handsome_ prince stood at his window, staring blankly into the moonless night. He stood erect, with his hands crossed firmly behind his back, as he was in deep thought.

"I must find someone who will love me...as I am... _truly am_ , in order for this terrible curse to be ultimately lifted from me!" He darkly mused. "At least, that is what that evil enchantress declared when she cast this wretched spell upon me!"


	5. Chapter 5

The beautiful golden morning sun, shined softly through the nearly tattered lace curtains of Andrea's open bedroom window. The delicate material floated lightly in the air as a cool breeze blew throughout the partially darkened boudoir. Andrea was pleasantly awakened by the music of bluebirds blissfully whistling nearby. She knew they were contentedly perched outside on the creeping vines covering the rough surface of the cottage.

These handsome winged creatures tightly clung between the fragrant, cream colored roses as they sang. It was as if they were singing exclusively for her. Ah...the young lass was certainly not one to miss out on that mystifying scene outside of her latticed window for anything! Early mornings such as this one, brought dew drops on roses which glistened like diamonds under the bright rays of the risen sun.

Normally, she would spring from the comfort of her bed and skip to the window to view the lovely spectacle. But today, she was content with being lazy, and decided to remain where she was.

The new day felt rather special at the moment. Maybe it was because she woke up in good spirits.

It was rare for Andrea to wake with a dreamy smile plastered upon her marred face _. Oh, if only all mornings could be as glorious as this one!_ She strongly wished. Andrea was _not_ a morning person. The dawn of each new day only meant that it was another opportunity for her to brood over what she saw as her unfortunate lot in life.

But as mentioned before, her features were never an issue until she... _fell in love_.

Richard.

Try as she might, the tormented young woman could not erase the memory of his attractive face.

Forgetting him was not as easy as she had first believed. How the repeated images of his beauty mercilessly haunted her dreams! She was at her wit's end! But she was not going to let this unrequited love completely consume her. She was rigidly determined to find something else... something _positive_ to occupy her thoughts!

If she could only manage to keep her mind off of her face _and_ love interest, then she would be able to function smoothly throughout the day ahead.

Andrea made up her mind just then, that she would keep busy. There was a multitude of things for her to do if she so chose to do them. There were her daily studies with Freddy which she gladly and anxiously looked forward to. Or, she could lose herself entirely within the pages of her cherished faerie book...as long as its blatant subject of love did not re-route her thoughts to the very person she had been struggling to dismiss.

There were her daily chores which she did around the house while everyone else,(except her father, who sat around and drank), went into the village to find work, sell wares, or to purchase food. Whenever money was not so scarce, they bought material to make clothing.

Perhaps she could busy herself by sewing up some new shirts for her father and Freddy. Or, new dresses could be in order for herself and the two wicked witches she referred to occasionally as, _her_ _sisters._

A naughty smile suddenly came across her lips and her green eyes twinkled wickedly as she had an idea to play a little prank on the loathsome pair.

Andrea allowed her imagination to run wild.

She would construct two separate dresses, but then sew them together so that they would be connected at the hip! The girl laughed inwardly as she impishly imagined Annabella and Alyssa wearing her spiteful creation, while being chased by a rabid dog. As they would desperately try to flee from the deranged animal, they would both fall to the ground, since Annabella was a much swifter and stronger runner than Alyssa. The dog would soon catch up to where the women lay, perhaps sprawled out helplessly in some mud. Andrea then envisioned the vicious canine baring its sharp teeth as it growled and drooled hungrily down on the wenches. And then...screams!

That type of revenge would more than make up for years of cruelty she often suffered at the hands of both of them, because of her...uniqueness. Freddy was not spared from their wrath either, since he had been her avid defender and protector.

Ah...what a scrumptious fantasy to begin the day with!

But of course, being the kind hearted person that she was, Andrea would not wish the witches to be torn to pieces by a deranged canine. Instead, she would have to settle.

She would have to settle instead, for the amusing and wonderful memory of "Joined At The Hip" being angrily chased from her bedroom by her beloved brother. The splendid thought of last evening came flooding back to her in delicious and mischievous waves.

The sound of a mysterious chuckle broke the silence.

Goodness! It came from her! She almost did not recognize her own laughter!

How long ago had it been since she felt so... _tickled?_

 _Freddy tickled you yesterday! Remember?_

Freddy.

Ugh!...How unbearably dismal life would be without her precious Freddy!

She thanked the Creator for him...

 _How odd is that? I'm tremendously thankful to the Creator for Freddy,... that same Creator who disfigured my face!_

After laying awake for nearly an hour in her bed of many pillows, she decided it was time to start stirring. It was time to shake the cobwebs from her head and reluctantly start the day.

The groggy girl stiffly rolled over from sleeping on her affected side which she laid on for much of the night. She then comfortably positioned herself on to her back. Andrea stretched her arms and legs enthusiastically, as a deep yawn escaped her two toned lips, simultaneously.

Then, in the distance, she heard the all too familiar sound of a rooster. Automatically, her sprightly attitude changed to dread.

The rooster's shrill ' _Cock' a doodle doo!'_ was a reminder to get moving! It was time to get washed up, find something clean to wear, and get out one of her dark colored chiffon scarves from her dresser drawer. She had to go into the marketplace to sell the tiny eggs their little red hen Lilah laid. The poor thing lived nearly neglected in the back of their house in a messy chicken coop, which was in desperate need of cleaning. It was an unpleasant chore half heartedly delegated to the notoriously slothful Alyssa by her downtrodden father. Ferdinand could care less about that hen house, or anything else for that matter. All he cared about was the bottle.

 _Today was going to be the day that he finally quit!_ , Andrea reflected sarcastically. After all, _he_ _said so._

However, the discerning girl knew very well that in a few hours, her lush father would be sending an angry and frustrated Freddy to the vendors to purchase more cheap spirits with the two mites they had left to live on. The money was supposed to carry them through the rest of the week. The mere thought of this made Andrea's heart sick!

How she earnestly wished the mother she never knew, was alive today! Her father certainly would not be in this present state and horrid condition. Yes, he needed help. But it should not come from Madam Dorothea, of all people! She seemed to be the only crook he would accept any aid from!

This is why the old man was sending her into the crowded hustle and bustle of the market place to sell the eight eggs old Lilah had laid.

"See if you can get a good deal for them," the drunken old man slurred. And of course, he still gripped the half empty bottle like it was the most precious thing he owned in the world. Tears came instantly to her eyes because she knew it _was_ _the most precious thing in the world to him, lately!_

Andrea could stand the sight of her red-eyed father no longer. Something had to be done! But what?! She was just about to hurry out of the cottage when she remembered the solemn vow she made to herself. She was never going to leave the confines of the cottage ever again! Waking up enveloped in happiness made her forget how cruel the world truly was, beyond the secure walls of the little stone house.

The moment Andrea's memory returned to her, she placed the basket of eggs on a table in front of her father as she undid the large bow she tightly tied in her scarf. As the dark material floated to her shoulders once it came undone, the girl ran her fingers through her thick, soft hair. She sighed disapprovingly as she hovered over her inebriated father.

How incredibly small and extremely aged he looked just then. She barely recognized him! He was literally wasting away!

"Oh, I almost forgot, Papa!" She began with authority in her voice. "I am never leaving this house again. _You_ are the one who is wasting all of the little money that we have left, on the drink!"

"Watch your tone with me, young lady!" The elder squeaked. Even his voice lacked its former vigor now.

"Yes, watch your tone!" Alyssa spat, carrying the last bit of eggs in the palms of her grubby hands that she lazily managed to gather from the hen house. She came bursting into the sitting room where Andrea and her father were, alone. The old man and Andrea watched silently as Alyssa carefully placed the eggs into the basket. Alyssa was happy that she came in just in time to hopefully witness an argument.

It gave the older girl a secret thrill to see Andrea, whom she strongly disliked, at odds with their father. She and Annabella always believed Andrea and Freddy were their father's favorite children.

This was why the two older women loathed their brother and little sister. What they failed to understand was that in the days...long ago, that is, when Ferdinand was off the drink, he discovered that he had two responsible and studious offsprings in Freddy and Andrea, and two lazy, greedy and self-centered daughters in Annabella and Alyssa. Those two girls just could not see the error of their ways. In their warped minds, they were alright and the rest of the world was all so very wrong!

"Stay out of this Alyssa!" Ferdinand warned. His eyes were greatly bloodshot, and his free hand trembled. The grave and apparent symptoms of alcohol abuse were beginning to overtake his body. How this grieved Andrea so! It seemed like only she and Freddy were hurt by this.

Their father's situation did not seem to have any negative affect on Annabella or Alyssa. They seemed to have a false notion that the old merchant would be around forever. But Andrea knew this all stemmed from the women's selfishness. They saw no one else's hurt, but their own.

Alyssa retaliated after her father barked at her to remain out of the conversation. She poked her bottom lip out like a child and whined as she always did, whenever she was met with strict opposition.

"But she has forgotten her place, Papa! She is clearly talking back to you!" Alyssa loudly protested.

"Papa, I will not sell these eggs to get money so that you can spend it all on the drink!" Andrea snapped, completely ignoring her trouble making sister. She behaved as if Alyssa was not even present in the room.

Just then, Freddy entered. He had been in the field outside since daybreak, cutting the tall and wild growing grass, which thickly surrounded their quaint little home. He looked exhausted. As the young man walked warily into the room, he stood still suspiciously eyeing the three figures before him. He held a large cutlass and his clothing and hands were grass stained. He came in just in time to hear what his beloved sister uttered, and a look of concern immediately washed over his tired face.

"How do you know that that is where all the money went?!" The old man sneered at Andrea.

"Everybody knows, Papa!" Andrea sadly replied.

All the old merchant could do was stare up at his daughter's sorrowful face with his white bearded mouth agape in disbelief. All was silent then as the old man's eyes traveled slowly from Freddy's to Alyssa's faces. Freddy stared with disappointment at his father, and Alyssa hung her head in shame when his blue steely eyes fell on her. It seemed like that was her cue to leave the room, and she did so without having to be told.

Maybe now that it was all out in the open, it was looking like even _Alyssa_ thought of her father as a drunkard, but was unable to admit it to herself...until now.

After what seemed like an eternity of silence, the haggard Freddy finally spoke.

"Father,... I will go into the marketplace and sell the eggs and bring home the money."

Freddy darkly uttered the words. He watched his father with disgust now, because he _knew_ he saw a smile creep across the merchant's cracked lips. Andrea spied it too, and was horrified. The brother and sister both understood that the old man believed they were finally giving into his wishes. He _did_ want to use the money to support his stronghold of a habit.

But it gave the defiant Freddy satisfaction to strongly declare, "However, whatever money comes into this house, will be in my possession from now on!" The light in his angry eyes danced triumphantly. "I will manage things now, Father!"

A stunned expression suddenly appeared across Ferdinand's rough features. The smile left his lips as quickly as it came.

"So, it has happened..."

The brother and sister could hear the sharp pain in their father's tone.

"My children have turned against me in brazen disobedience!"

Ferdinand stood up from the arm chair in which he sat. his legs were wobbly. They almost gave out on him. He stood up too quickly and the room began rapidly spinning around him. He ran to the wash room to empty the contents of his stomach, nearly having an accident as he hurried on his way.

After a few minutes, Freddy and Andrea stared at one another. Everything they did not voice was sadly evident in their eyes. They _had_ to think of something fast, and get a plan in motion to save their poor father!

Freddy then slowly walked over to where his sister stood. Tears were abundantly flowing from her eyes now. Her brother cupped her cheeks, wiped her tears away with his thumbs and whispered, softly to her, "We _will find help_ for him, _I promise you that_."

He then gradually leaned in and gave her a quick, gentle kiss on the lips. She forced a smile just then, which caused more tears to flow.

"I will get cleaned up and then take the eggs into the village to sell." He told her, abruptly stepping away from her and heading off to his bedchamber. She watched him walk off stiff as a soldier. "Be ready for your science and mathematics lessons when I return." He stated with authority, without so much as glancing back at her as he exited the room.

00000000000000000000

The handsome Prince Victor feverishly paced the flagstone floors of his vast estate, deep in thought. He shook his head solemnly and repeated the phrase, "It's not fair...it's not fair...it's not fair!"

At length, he stopped to pour himself a brandy. He stared blankly into space as he thirstily gulped down a mouthful of the intoxicating liquid.

After consuming it for quite some time, it did very little to relax him.

He was too wound up and tormented!

The prince casually placed the glass on a large oak table near him, then gravely strolled over to his fireplace and leaned faintly against it for support. The young prince continued on in his brooding, when the incident which occurred nine years ago, stubbornly took hold of his memory with an evil vengeance.

 _If I weren't such an arrogant, wretched pig, I would not be dealing with this right now!_

 _That enchantress had no right! She should have minded her own business! I was merely defending the welfare of my kingdom! I truly do not deserve the calamity which has come upon me! One would think that after nine years, I would be used to this...change... by now. But no...oh no...I could never get used to the smell of bleeding human flesh, or, worse yet, the horrid stench of death! After coming in from the horrors of the night, I could scarcely remember what I've done...or whom I might have mur...!_

He quickly banished the thought as a single tear trickled down along his pale cheek. He shook violently.


	6. Chapter 6

Freddy had been walking for miles under the bright morning sun to the marketplace, as was his custom to do every other day, or whenever the pressing need would arise to remedy some small emergency, such as the house being low on bread, milk, medicine, coal for the fireplace or _spirits_ for the ever addicted Ferdinand. But Freddy rejoiced in his heart that he would no longer have to deal with the latter. His father's constant pestering for him to bring alcohol into the house, had now come to a blessed end! And Freddy meant every word he said before making his departure from the house. He determined that no more of their money would be spent on such waste!

If Ferdinand promised them he would quit the drink, it appeared that now, he would be doing it "cold turkey!"

Ferdinand had positioned himself on the ground outside of the stone cottage, directly in the path of the threshold, so that Freddy literally had to step over him on his way out. The old merchant laid there, wailing and rolling from side to side as if he were writhing in pain, attempting to make a scene.

" _OOOOOhhhh help me!...someone please help me! I'm dying! I'm dying! And my four children don't care at all that I'm dying!"_

This wild, dramatic performance from the old man did absolutely nothing to sway Freddy. The old merchant's screams fell on his son's deaf ears. He knew Ferdinand was trying to make him feel guilty for cutting off his supply of _spirits_. Freddy even wondered who Ferdinand thought he was trying to alert!

They practically lived in the middle of nowhere, in a secluded area, miles from town, on a high grassy hill by an occasional roaring sea.

During this particular breezy morning, those salty waves were certainly blustering, as they crashed hard against some rocks near the shore, drowning out whatever high pitched sounds a human being could ever attempt to make.

Only the seagulls managed to be heard above all of that thunderous racket.

They also had no neighbors at all. How Freddy was tremendously glad for that! The highly emotional Ferdinand would have loved to have had an audience. If it were so, some devious nosey-body, peeking through their window next door at all the commotion, and not being fully aware of Ferdinand's history of romance with the bottle, would have instantly sent for the authorities to arrest the innocent young man for the vile neglect of his elderly father!

There would be nothing he could possibly say to the police in his own defense. He was merely a good son, trying his best to wean his father off alcohol the best way he knew how. At the moment, the best way was not to give into the old man's wishes, even if he threw a childish tantrum!

He even envisioned his two wretched sisters, with arms tightly crossed with deep angry frowns on their faces, just standing by watching him get hauled away with hands tied behind his back.

Humph! But even he knew all too well, that Annabella and Alyssa would do nothing to prevent his apprehension. They would gleefully add lies upon lies to make worse the already terrible situation. Whew! With sisters like those, who needed the devil?

Freddy dismissed his father, since this was not the first time the patriarch made a spectacle of himself in such a manner. In times gone by, Freddy would let the merchant have whatever he wanted, just to stop the embarrassing show his father oftentimes put on.

But not this time.

Freddy hurried from the house that morning, simply stepping over his father with the steady look of determination in his features, and keeping his green eyes fixed towards the direction of town. Ferdinand even managed to grab hold of his son's cloak as the young man stepped over him. Freddy merely yanked his garment from the old man's frail hands, without even so much as giving the merchant a second casual glance, as he steadfastly continued on his way.

His heart wrenched within his chest when he reflected on how the authorities would have handled his father's addiction. They would have wasted no time in locking the poor man away in the village asylum, until he was "cured." They had "ways" of treating those who were habitually dependant on the intoxicating liquid. Horror stories he usually overheard from old women in the marketplace, chit-chatting about how their husbands and _even_ _sons_ were sent there, came flooding back to his already tortured mind. He shuddered at the thought of Ferdinand eventually ending up in such a place!

As he strolled along, he hoped he would receive a decent amount for the eggs he carried in the woven basket. Freddy worried that they were too small and that no vendor would give them a second look as he humbly presented the tiny white things for sale.

 _Be prepared to beg someone to buy, Freddy!_

Poor Lilah was _not_ being taken good care of, and this is why she had been producing eggs which were unacceptable to sell.

Freddy cursed Alyssa and her awful management of the chicken coop, under his breath. He even summoned up enough energy to be angry with the old merchant for even thinking to give the apathetic girl the job in the first place!

He dismissed the thought purposefully, since he felt himself becoming enraged over their present circumstances. He never gave their lot much thought until now. Perhaps he had been in deep denial or in extreme shock over their sudden lifestyle change and not realized it until now.

Maybe it was the sad fact that his beloved sister, as a result of being stoned for her appearance, had practically stopped eating and began shutting herself up in their tiny home. Even his father's grim dependance on alcohol, now made him curse the day they became impoverished.

Freddy was now beginning to wake up from his long "slumber" to take a good hard look at the way things really were. They were worse off now than ever before!

He never dreamed he would be walking _anywhere._ He was still exhausted from cutting the grass.

His feet burned mercilessly with every step he took in those horrid, ill fitting shoes he wore!

Then it suddenly dawned on him that he was only being optimistic all this time for Andrea's sake. It was bad enough she cried over her face.

He certainly did not want her crying over their situation. But oddly enough, their present _lack_ did not seem to phase her in the least. Perhaps the girl was skillfully inventive in finding creative ways to occupy her mind. Poverty seemed to be something trivial to Andrea. It did not emotionally affect her the same way it did her father and sisters and the same way it was beginning to take its toll on him.

Just then, a man rode past him on a galloping horse, leaving a trail of dust in the aftermath, and significantly clouding Freddy's view of where he was going. The disgruntled young man furiously spat out some dirt which happened to make its way into his mouth, and shielded his eyes from the dust completely consuming him. He marveled at the fact that he had not heard the horse approaching rapidly from behind him. He could have easily gotten run over! Had he been so troubled in his mind, that he had managed to shut out the outside world for a few minutes?

Freddy inhaled and exhaled in frustration. He warily dusted off some of the dirt from his shoulders and the breast area of his cloak. He felt like crying just then.

Ugh! To have a horse!

How he wished he had still owned his stallion, who he named Wilfred. He imagined happily riding upon his horse instead of making this agonizing journey on foot. Wilfred was the only thing about his former days of wealth that he truly missed.

The horse was a white, strong bodied and graceful animal, and all who laid eyes upon it were impressed with its flawless beauty. The stallion was Freddy's pride and joy, and it was faithful to him. The animal was purchased as a gift from his father from Arabia. The young man recalled how elated he was upon receiving this majestic looking steed. He could still clearly hear his father's words spoken to him when the _then_ wealthy merchant, presented it to his son.

It was during one of those parties, _just to have a party_ , that Ferdinand proudly led his crowd of invited guests out into his vast rose garden, to show off this elaborate gift he was giving to his only son.

"This stallion, dear Frederick, is an expression of my great pride and joy in you." His father beamed. Ferdinand was notorious for showing off his wealth at his many parties.

On one of those festive occasions, Freddy once overheard one of the partygoers whisper to someone next to them that Ferdinand had many parties only to rub his riches in people's faces. The young Freddy was shocked and hurt because he honestly believed these people liked his father. However, he soon learned how trifling their loyalty to the merchant was.

When Ferdinand joined the ranks of the poverty stricken, all those whom he thought would never abandon him, scattered like the mice that they were. Not one individual extended help in any way to himself or his family. It was a blow to him after he lost his wealth and then his saintly wife.

Perhaps that was the best part about their misfortune. They never had to lay eyes on those multitude of phonies ever again!

Freddy's mind once again, drifted back to that enchanting night in which he was presented with his horse. His father's words made him frown as he pondered them.

"You are the type of son any father would be thoroughly well pleased in. I only hope that one day you will find a wife who is truly worthy of you, and that you both will bless me and your mother with many grandchildren!"

His father then proudly raised a goblet of the finest wine to his flustered young son, as all the other guests followed suit in raising their goblets.

Everyone drank and cheered for Freddy. In the midst of it all, he turned to slyly witness his lovely pregnant mother seated at _one of_ the many long tables arrayed with a feast fit for ten kings. She smiled sadly, but winked at him to signal to him that he would never be alone. She loved him in spite of his "secret." Freddy smiled back at her and blew her a kiss. How immensely relieved he was that he had her in his life, to share his fears and uncertainties about this tender matter with!

His mother was also his best friend back then, until Andrea grew up and took on that special role.

Only Andrea and his mother knew of his secret. To this day, Ferdinand was in the dark about it.

 _How might father react if he found out?_

"Oh, Mother!" He presently sighed into the wind as he swiftly trudged along those uneven dirt roads which stretched out long before him. A day never went by where he never thought of her. How beautiful, kind, sweet and virtuous she was! She was just not strong enough to bare the tremendous demands of childbirth for one more, agonizing last time.

"How I miss you so!" He whimpered as he lamented her sudden death.

In all of this, he never once saw Andrea as the cause of their mother's demise. The young man was also eternally grateful to the gods above that even Annabella and Alyssa hushed their poisoned tongues against their little sister regarding the matter. Or, at least he hoped they did. If he ever happened to catch either of them blaming Andrea for Mother's death, he would make certain that they would live to regret it.

In another hour, the busy town came gradually into view. He clutched the handle of the basket of eggs tighter and prayed he would make a decent sale. They needed money for the week. They were all tapped out.

00000000000000000000

Prince Victor was still rather restless this morning as he tried in vain to concentrate on his breakfast. He had spent a long night of unrest, endlessly tossing and turning, thinking about what may come to pass in the future, if he had to endure another night, lit by a full moon. He presently sat at a small table near an enormous window overlooking his rich green garden in the distance. The skies were a little overcast as he apprehensively lifted his eyes towards them. He then brought a teacup slowly to his lips and sipped the hot, honey flavored liquid. He could feel it as it trickled down his throat, warming his chest then his belly.

The worried prince gazed down pensively into the plate which sat before him. It held a slice of buttered raisin bread. He stared hard at it as he daydreamed of something that had been heavy on his mind for quite sometime.

The pleasant, visionary scheme floating throughout his psyche, consisted of a woman whom he had been playing 'hide-and-go-seek' with. He had this vision many times. What did it mean? This woman...or angel, rather, wore a beautiful white gown which floated gracefully in the soft, warm wind as she darted in and out from behind trees and bushes. She was desperately trying to find the perfect hiding place, while he covered his eyes and counted to ten. He could hear her wild and delicious laughter, resounding throughout the sunlit atmosphere, as she skipped through the garden. The heavenly sound of her cheerfulness did wonders to lift his spirits! He could literally feel himself coming alive once again, after being _dead_ for so long!

Who was she? And why couldn't he see her face? Her features were a blur. Could this be the one? Could she truly be his savior?...the one rightly suited to rescue him from the gripping power of a full moon?

00000000000000000000

Five mites! Not bad! The sale of Lilah's meager eggs did bring a half way decent amount to his pocket. They would have enough to eat for the week, and a little left over to purchase material for Andrea to make the family a few new pieces of clothing to wear. He was rather satisfied. Freddy was fortunate enough to run into a young lady who needed eggs to bake two cakes that evening for a special occasion.

He gave her all of the eggs and happily pocketed the money. As he strolled through the bustling and crowded marketplace, he could hear a vendor here and there singing in high pitched voices to make themselves heard amongst the loud talking and shouting of shoppers and children running around and playing in the midst of it all. Freddy dodged a few plump chickens which circled his ankles as he tried to make his way through the crowd. The sweet aroma of hot, baked French bread filled his nostrils and made his stomach growl.

 _Ah...if I could only afford to buy that for everyone at home. But it will take up most of the money!_ He sadly mused.

A beautiful blonde haired girl walked by him and smiled and sang into his ear, _"Matches...matches, please buy my matches!"_

Thank goodness they had enough matches left over from this past Winter. Otherwise, he did not think he would have been able to resist the urge to part with three mites just to buy matches. They were indeed expensive! The funny thing about having money...after one has gone without it for so long, is that one often developed a strong urge to go on a spending spree with the _little_ they had!

Freddy knew he had to get out of that marketplace and fast! There had been too much going on there that was extremely tempting to his five senses, and if he were a fool, and not careful, he would return home with a few pieces of useless treasures and be void of the money he got for those pathetic eggs.

He remained focused, and diligently pressed on through the dense crowd. Everyone was out in droves today, since it was a spectacularly bright and sunny Spring day. Finally, he neared the place where he had first entered. Freddy was about to head back onto the long dirt road which led back home, when he encountered a crowd of people gathered around the large wagon of a tall thin and imposing man, who sported a long black beard, which fell to his chest. He also wore a ragged, black top hat upon his narrow head. He was selling what he called a "Miracle Elixir."

"Step right up! Step right up folks!" He bellowed as he summoned the crowd to draw nearer.

" _Back pain, toothaches, fevers,_

 _flu..._

 _This "Miracle Elixir" is the cure_

 _for you!"_

The salesman loudly sang this song as his assistant, another bearded man, about three feet tall, stood on a table and played a small guitar.

"No matter what ails you, you name it! The "Miracle Elixir" can cure it!" The tall man shouted to the crowd with assurance.

"And it will only cost you...Five mites!"


	7. Chapter 7

Andrea regularly and faithfully tended to the tedious morning chores of the day. Some of her many responsibilities included clearing the breakfast table of its dirty dishes and hastily preparing the faded floral print tablecloth to be hand washed vigorously, so that the apple butter, syrup and blackberry tea stains would not become set in the cloth. Once hanging the wet fabric out on the clothesline in the back of the cottage to be dried by the wind blowing in from the sea, the diligent worker then made her way toward the chicken coop to finish cleaning up the huge mess Alyssa left there.

Although this was not one of the chores officially assigned to the already overworked Andrea by their unstable father, the girl felt keenly that if she or her brother did not take on the duties of Annabella and Alyssa, by occasionally coming behind them and perfecting the careless work the two women had already tried _not to do_ in the first place, the cottage, the grassy field around it _and_ chicken coop would easily become a place quite fitting for the likes of vermin, mangy stray animals and hobos. Even the beach near their humble home had to be rid of litter. The reckless sisters deliberately left their garbage along the sandy shores whenever they strolled there.

This regular, filthy practice of theirs made Andrea so furious, to the point where she would often daydream that she possessed superhuman strength to viciously grab both of them at the same time by their hair, and drag them unsparingly out to sea, to firmly hold their arrogant heads underwater until they drowned!

Her sisters simply could not care less about the state of their surroundings. What on earth were they good for? Andrea marveled.

At the chicken coop, Andrea warily picked up Lilah, who immediately showed her displeasure of being rudely disturbed. She flapped her brown feathers wildly and clucked frantically. The fiercely determined girl merely dismissed the "pampered" hen's expression of disapproval and continued on with her task, without causing this sudden outburst to hinder her efforts in the least. She needed to double check under the hen to make certain there were no more eggs left in the fowl's shabby and prickly nest and that is what she was determined to do, whether Lilah approved or not!

There was nothing.

Andrea then carefully placed the ill-tempered winged creature back in her rightful place and then proceeded to organize the coop, making it as neat and well swept as she could possibly manage.

There was hay, dirt and breadcrumbs strewn everywhere, and the harsh stench of bird dung lingered constantly in the air, for lack of regular ventilation.

As she toiled, Andrea's thoughts casually drifted toward the useless Alyssa. In many ways, her sister reminded her of the idle Lilah. Alyssa would loudly protest just like this chicken, if suddenly roused from her comfortable bed or from her favorite cushioned arm chair in her bedroom. She despised every type of work. How Andrea loathed watching this wretched sow of a sister of hers, lie around all day while others, namely herself and Freddy, tended to the woman's chores for her. Of course, she and Freddy grew immensely tired of coming behind Alyssa to make the shabbily completed work she half-heartedly attempted to do, look better. But they _had to_ , nonetheless.

How would "Joined At The Hip" ever find husbands at this rate? They were old enough to marry off now and leave home! But oddly enough, both women did not seem interested in marriage. They enjoyed the luxury of having a different man every now and then. And of course, it definitely did not matter to those two dolts that these men were already married themselves!

Andrea sighed with disdain and shook her curly redhead in disbelief over the whole miserable business!

Thinking back to Alyssa, Andrea had a sneaky feeling her frustrated father was trying to hint a message to Alyssa when he gave her the unpleasant job of tending to the lazy hen, Lilah. But anyone who knew Alyssa, knew she was bad at taking hints. The woman was set in her ways and she would change for no one...not even for her beloved father. Like Lilah, she was content to lay around in her filth and have her servants, Freddy and Andrea, cater to her.

But Andrea was patient. She strongly believed that that witch and her sidekick, the grotesque Annabella would eventually get what was _definitely_ coming to them.

As Andrea often read in an old Bible once owned by her deceased mother, _all evil doers will be punished, and without remedy._

After she gratefully emerged from the coop, (it seemed like she spent days in there instead of a mere hour), Andrea enthusiastically inhaled the cool fresh air of the great outdoors. The stink of the small quarters of the hen house stubbornly clung to her clothing. Stray bits of hay and a thin layer of dust rested lightly on her flaming red locks. She couldn't wait to take a long, soothing and well deserved, _beauty_ bath. She thought of her disfigured face for a split second and wished she could effortlessly wash away that thick dark scar which plagued her.

Oh for a cure!

There just _had_ to be a cure out there somewhere! She was intensely determined not give up hope!

The last chore of the morning had to do with tidying up the house. As Andrea came through the front door exhausted, Annabella and Alyssa, who happened to be lounging in the sitting room, were in the process of taking turns brushing each other's hair. Annabella sat in a chair while Alyssa was seated on the floor between her sister's knees. Annabella enjoyed styling and handling Alyssa's shiny, long silken hair. It seemed like the highlight of her day to engage in this sort of activity.

Andrea gave them a disgusted sideways glance as she hastily walked past them. Almost immediately, the women hurled insults at her as she headed in the direction of the hearth. Andrea needed to get the broom which was propped up against a wall near the unlit fireplace.

Annabella fanned her nose vigorously and Alyssa held her nostrils closed between her fingers.

"Whew!" Annabella wailed. "Alyssa, do you believe me now?" She taunted, looking at Andrea as though she were a leper. " I told you she was a smelly little thing! Do you believe me now?"

"Oh, yes sister," Alyssa replied, in a mocking tone. "I'm so sorry I doubted you!"

"She smells like a pig!" Annabella spat.

"No...no..." Alyssa disagreed. "She smells as though she were rolling around in the chicken coop with her imaginary boyfriend!" The women both laughed. Andrea thought they sounded like two witches cackling.

"What was his name again?" Annabella playfully tapped her chin, pretending not to know the gentleman's name.

"Richard!" Alyssa proudly declared, feeling satisfied that she was the one to make the announcement. Andrea never discussed Richard with these two dragons from hell. The mere reason they knew of a _Richard,_ was because of her and her own big mouth!

From time to time, Andrea would be in the privacy of her bedroom, lying flat on her back looking up at the ceiling, and would begin to lovingly utter Richard's name to herself. The beautiful sound of it was simply divine as it rolled off of her lips. While this was occurring, Andrea was completely unaware that the two daughters of the devil were intently eavesdropping outside the door of her bedchamber.

Once learning of the _supposed existence_ of a so-called _"Richard,"_ "Joined At The Hip" gave the poor Andrea no peace!

How the hounds from hell teased her mercilessly! Andrea was never the least bit moved by their vile and venomous taunts towards her, anyway. She only deeply marveled at their immaturity and jealousy. She greatly wished she could feel sorry for them. But she could not.

She kept replaying scenes in her head of the two being viciously attacked by some dangerous, ravenous animal that was said to be lurking in the dark and mysterious forest, located on the outskirts of town.

This wonderful image would instantly bring a satisfied smile to her disfigured face. But she had to stop herself. She knew that thinking "bad thoughts" about these two horrid snakes, would make her no better than they were!

Andrea simply ignored them and proceeded to get the little house in order with the crudely made broomstick...Ferdinand's eccentric creation, no doubt. It had a long twisted wooden handle and long yellow strands of straw bristles, tightly bound together at its base. _Hmmmm...I wonder if Papa had "Joined At The Hip" in mind when he made this thing!_ She mused. _Perhaps they can both use this broom as a means of transportation_!

After her work was completed, Andrea went out silently to prepare her bath, leaving the echoes of her siblings' malicious laughter behind her. They were too silly and too insignificant to have any damaging affect on her self-esteem. Besides, she expected this sort of behavior from them. They had hated her and Freddy for years! Andrea was surely used to their teasing by now.

Once she finished her bath, Andrea eagerly planned to throw herself into her books while she waited for Freddy to return from the marketplace to tutor her.

As the girl went out the back door into the spacious grassy back yard, with a wooden bucket in hand, she walked a few steps to draw some fresh water from an old well conveniently situated a few yards from their humble domain. She would then fill an iron tub, located right outside the back door. The little area for bathing was thickly shrouded by a huge rose bush. In the autumn and winter months, the tub was moved indoors and placed in the middle of the kitchen. Then a large cotton sheet would hang draped across a clothesline, tied between two poles, for the sake of privacy.

On her way back from the well, Andrea thought she distinctly heard the thunderous sounds of horse's hooves, rapidly nearing the front of the house. She heard the horse snort emphatically, as it came to a sudden halt. Andrea put the bucket down, almost dropping it, and hurried around the side of the stone house to get a better view of the visitor, while making an effort to remain out of sight. No traveler ever stopped in these out of the way parts unless it was very important. No traveler had ridden by the cottage, atop the grassy hill in months, for that matter. The last horse drawn carriage which rolled by was a caravan containing a band of gypsy fortunetellers, and they didn't stop to inquire about anything. They just kept moving on.

Andrea was a little disappointed then, because she would have loved to have had her fortune told, and she was also curious about the future of "Joined At The Hip." _What would be their ultimate end?_ She often wondered with delight.

Andrea moved closer to the front of the house, being very careful to remain unseen. An ominous dark figure, clad in a long black cape, dismounted from the tall horse's back with ease. The rider wore a black, wide brimmed hat which caused much of his facial features to be shadowed. He carried what looked like important papers in his black, leather gloved hands. He walked briskly up to the front door of the cottage. His dark cape blew in all directions in the salty sea breeze, making this mysterious figure resemble a giant, ebony bat on the verge of taking flight.

Within a matter of seconds, the man was at their door. He pounded on it with bold assurance and unflinching authority. The strange gentleman then stood still and patiently waited for someone to come to the door. As Andrea slyly peered at this phantom, she prayed he wasn't their landlord coming to collect their rent. They were three weeks behind! Her slothful sisters had better start working soon to help the family stay afloat, otherwise, they could all be in the streets.

The shrouded figure pounded on the door once again, since there was no immediate answer. Andrea could feel herself needing to resist the urge to go to the person herself to inquire about what he wanted. But...if it were not for her face! _Her_ _face_ kept her forcibly in her hiding place. The deep physical and emotional wounds brought on by those evil little children were still fresh. Her confidence in being seen by the public had now vanished entirely.

What on earth had been taking those two lazy hags so long to come to the door? Andrea just _knew_ she was going to die from curiosity when suddenly, Annabella's surprised voice was heard.

"Good day, Sir." She uttered politely. Imagine that! Annabella had manners! Who would have guessed!

The man answered in a very deep, authoritative voice and straight forward manner.

"Good day, young lady."

"How may I help you?" The courteous tone never left the "queen of the demons" voice.

"I would like to speak with Sir Ferdinand Beaumont, if I may." The gentleman replied directly.

"My name is Sir Pierre Gardot, and I am the chief merchant of Sir Beaumont's division."

"What do you want with my father, Sir Gardot?" Annabella asked pointedly.

Andrea took a few steps closer to be in better earshot of the two. She was on pins and needles to find out what this man wanted.

"Please, Madame, I wish to speak directly to him concerning this matter." The stranger pressed her, keeping his polite countenance intact.

Annabella hesitated for a few seconds, and then invited the stranger inside.

Andrea ran back around to the rare of the house and entered unseen through the back door. She continued to eavesdrop and peeked secretly from a corner in the kitchen, having a partial view of the sitting room. With limited vision, due to the position of her hiding place, she managed to see the merchant remove his wide brimmed hat as he stepped into the sitting room. He nodded politely to Alyssa, who was still seated on the floor. She did not respond to him. She only gawked at him the way a wide eyed child would, when a strange person entered their home.

"Please have a seat, Sir Gardot." Annabella motioned nonchalantly with her hand, to a chair near the hearth. Andrea was thankful that she got the house in order hours before this important man's visit. Otherwise, _she_ , _at least_ , would have been greatly embarrassed!

"My name is Annabella Beaumont." She introduced herself. "And this is my sister, Alyssa." Annabella pointed to the girl with her nose. Alyssa still did not respond, but continued to stare.

"Alyssa! Where are your manners?" Annabella snapped at the hypnotized girl, abruptly bringing her out of the trance she had been in.

"Goo...Good...D...Day, Sir." Alyssa stammered.

Sir Gardot nodded politely to her once again.

"I will go look for my father." Annabella told him. Then she left the room, taking a quick glance over her shoulder at the stranger.

As the elder sister headed towards the kitchen, Andrea emerged from her hiding place and firmly took hold of her arm. Annabella was unpleasantly taken aback, since Andrea had not yet had her bath, but she was even _more_ upset that this wretched, disfigured girl, _dared_ to touch her!

Annabella quickly yanked her arm from Andrea's clutches, giving the girl a sharp look of disapproval. "How dare you touch me, you troll!" Annabella snared.

"What do you think he wants with father?" Andrea whispered anxiously, ignoring the insult.

"Hell if I know!"

Annabella answered her angrily. She was growing increasingly impatient as she looked over Andrea's shoulder. She hoped to spy the pitiful old man, whom she was secretly ashamed of, lurking about.

"I merely asked you a question, you witch!" Andrea snapped. Annabella ignored her completely and began walking and looking around the area, searching for her father.

"Papa...Papa..." She called gently to him. Andrea followed her around. She too had been curious as to where Ferdinand was. She had not seen him since the spat she and Freddy had with him earlier that day.

The two women looked and looked. He was no where to be found in the house. They decided to search the back yard. It wasn't long before they found him lying completely naked in a drunken slumber in the iron tub void of water. The old man had been clutching a small flask against his chest. It was half empty of _spirits_ and he was suddenly snoring loudly. Andrea and Annabella looked down at their inebriated father in horror!

00000000000000000000

Freddy stood motionless in the midst of the increasingly dense crowd. Many onlookers were mesmerized by this tall, odd looking bearded salesman, with his three foot sidekick, playing a small guitar. What a curious sight they were indeed, as they peddled endless bottles of a mysterious red liquid, claiming it was a "cure all." The tall man introduced himself in song.

" _My name is Doctor Lotorious!"_

" _My medical skills are notorious!"_

" _I've traveled the world,_

 _causing straight hair to curl,_

 _since in healing I've been quite victorious!"_

" _I visited a queen in Manchester."_

" _She had a bad cough that quite vexed her."_

 _When she saw me she cried,_

" _Dear Sir, I'd have died,_

 _If it weren't for your Miracle Elixir!"_

And as he sang the little man faithfully accompanied him on the miniature version of a stringed instrument. A few people mumbled amongst themselves, doubting the claims the bearded man made regarding this miracle potion. Others were easily bought, and enthusiastically made their way through the crowd, to perhaps foolishly, part with their Five Mites.

"Can it cure baldness?" A man who lacked hair, suddenly called out above the buzzing murmurs of the audience.

Nearly every head turned in the direction of the booming voice.

The bearded physician peered hard into the crowd to try to spot where the sound of the man's voice had come from. Almost in a mocked gesture of surprise, the doctor found the man and called him out.

"Step right up kind Sir, and please, allow me to demonstrate!" The good doctor cried.

As the man eagerly made his way to the wagon, the doctor once again broke into song. The bald man momentarily took the stage and stood next to the doctor. The smiling physician held a vial containing the elixir in one hand, high enough in the air for the crowd to see, and then gently placed his other hand on the gentleman's shoulder to reassure him.

" _This unfortunate man is quite hairless"_

" _Please do not view me as careless."_

" _I have nothing to hide,_

" _I have never since lied,_

" _Trust me, there will be no bareness!"_

And with that, the doctor gave the volunteer the vial, and instructed him to rub the elixir vigorously into his bald scalp. The man did as he was directed.

"Would you like to step behind this curtain?" The doctor asked him, pointing to a thick blue curtain on the stage which was patched in certain places. "I have a mirror back there. You can watch the change take place, right before your eyes!"

After rubbing his head, the gentleman eagerly stepped behind the curtain. The noises in the crowd ceased as some skeptics focused their attention on what was about to happen next.

Freddy himself did not budge from where he stood. It seemed as if his feet had been firmly cemented to the ground. It was as though a magical spell had been cast upon him to stay put.

While the crowd waited, the bearded man spun around and sang once more.

" _So take a chance for the cure."_

" _This miracle liquid is pure!"_

" _To part with your money,_

 _may not be so funny,_

" _But sickness, you'll no more endure!"_

Just then, a loud scream came from behind the tattered curtain. The audience members gasped!

Suddenly, the man that was bald, cautiously reappeared from behind the curtain. More gasps were rippled throughout the vast crowd.

"It's a miracle! It's a miracle!" The volunteer shouted with tremendous glee! He now had a full head of hair which fell loosely and softly to his shoulders. He pulled hard at it to show the spectators that it wasn't a wig. Even Doctor Lotorious himself, yanked at the man's long hair.

"Take it easy there, doctor!" The man protested. "You're pulling the hair right out of my scalp!"

"Did you good people hear that?" The physician beamed with pride. "The Miracle Elixir works!"

"Indeed it does!" The man confirmed. "I watched, stunned, as my hair grew right before my eyes!"

"So then, I ask you," Doctor Lotorious began, stretching his arms out wide, "Why would you... _any_ of you, continue to suffer in your ailments?"

"Go ahead, it's only Five Mites which stand between you and your healing!" The doctor shouted enthusiastically into the crowd.

Instantly, Freddy thought of his beloved sister's face, and his father's addiction.

This 'Miracle Elixir' can help them...he hoped! He could part with this bit of money for their sakes. _It would not be a waste_ , he intently reasoned.

 _I can always find work somewhere if I looked diligently_ , he told himself.

 _Right now, Andrea and father need me to come through for them!_

So, forgetting that his family needed food to eat for that week and that the overdue rent needed to be paid, he soon parted with his money like all those easily taken in before him. Freddy pushed hard against the crowd to make Doctor Lotorious richer, as he himself was about to become poorer.

00000000000000000000

Meanwhile, at Prince Victor's castle, the apprehensive ruler hastily summoned one of his many "scientists." These _learned_ men were supposedly skilled in the mysterious motions of the stars, moon and outer universe. He desperately needed them to give him some accurate, and much anticipated information. The young ruler would not rest until he had it.

The scientist who came before the prince, bowed low in His Highness' presence.

"Tell me, oh Wizard," Prince Victor began, with sorrow and fear evident in his voice, "Will there be a full moon tonight?"

Without hesitation, the old sage answered his frazzled master.

"There will be."


	8. Chapter 8

Freddy had been trudging about a mile on that long and rocky dirt road leading back home with a clear conscience...until things started to get a little uncomfortable for him mentally and emotionally. The hot, and merciless late springtime sun, steadily shined into his sea green eyes nearly blinding him. As a sudden rush of wind blew, it viciously carried with it the dust of the ground which forcefully swirled around the young man's entire form.

He immediately raised an arm to bar his eyes from the onslaught, but not in time though to avoid having a light coat of dirt blow onto one side of his handsome face. Thereafter, as the strong breeze lingered, he occasionally wiped the filmy grime away from his tired, flushed countenance with a checkered handkerchief he kept deeply tucked inside the breast pocket of his heavy black cloak.

He irately cursed nature's elements under his breath as he felt the dry residue of earth, thickly coated across his parched lips. He cautiously ran his tongue along the edge of his mouth, then spat out the rubble. If it were not for those taunting, negative emotions presently tackling him, he would have otherwise been occupied with the mire, which lingered on his face.

Contending also with those gusty and relentless winds, greatly hindered his efforts in trying to walk. From time to time, he unwillingly found himself battling a whirlwind...and grievously losing to its incredible force as he pressed onward toward his destination.

The weather that day was certainly strange. There had been a beautiful zephyr on the way to the vendors, earlier that morning. Now, on the way back home, he faced an angry blast of wind.

At that moment, the only truly heavy thing on his mind was the event which took place a while back at the market. His recollection of the incident caused him to absent-mindedly bring a gloved hand to his chest. As he ran his fingers along the area, he could feel the outline of a small bottle.

That small bottle, also hidden securely away in the same breast pocket which held the handkerchief, was the very thing which promised to significantly transform the lives of his father and sister. This "Miracle" potion was just what his family needed for peace and happiness to begin to exist in their unstable home, he reasoned optimistically.

But even he knew full well that it was futile to harbor any hope for the unlucky Beaumont clan.

One might call him naive or _crazy_ for even daring to believe his tumultuous home could be miraculously converted to a state of normalcy, practically overnight! Now how on earth could such a peaceful existence come about?

With his father, Ferdinand, considered a fool by all who knew him, who habitually drifted in and out of insanity, and his two sisters being quite taken by the strongholds of demonic influences, peace and joy actually occurring in that wretched household was a definite long shot! As far as he was concerned, he and Andrea were the only two rational human beings living under that roof!

But aside from crazy and naive, more than anything, he was desperate. _So, it was indeed true_ , he marveled. _Desperate people did do desperate things!_

But _love_ was the driving force behind his strange action to readily part with the five mites.

For a good while, Freddy had been feeling especially jovial and satisfied within his innermost being since making the split second decision to purchase this "cure all" elixir.

But as quickly as the euphoric thrills of hope flooded his heart, it wasn't long before the claws of despair had him in its stubborn and suffocating clutches. Freddy warily thought back to the very moment he pushed his way through the crowd and up to the stage where the master salesman, or _doctor_... rather, stood.

Lotorious quizzically stared down at the eager young man standing before him with his sharp, piercing blue eyes blazing.

Freddy readily discerned the curious expression in the gentleman's blue eyes to be something rather peculiar. If the poor young man had not been so anxious about the welfare of the two people he loved most in the world, he would have taken that strange hint and left the marketplace with the five mites still in his possession.

Freddy could have sworn he witnessed something that resembled a sly, wicked grin, secretly peeking through the thin man's scruffy beard. But he readily dismissed it as a figment of his imagination. This man was a _doctor_ , for goodness sakes! Surely, he meant no one any harm!

But Freddy deliberately ignored his misgivings.

Everything in this self proclaimed physician's demeanor in that particular moment seemed to scream, _I've_ _been waiting patiently for a fool like yourself to step forward and part with his money!_

Freddy firmly held to the expectation that he could be wrong. This certainly had to be his imagination running away with him!

Ultimately, throwing all caution to the wind, the young man with steadfast determination, yanked the small gold coins from his breast pocket, and plopped the five mites into the bearded man's seemingly greedy and eagerly waiting hands.

The so called doctor then graciously tipped his top hat to Freddy and smiled. The salesman nodded his head slightly as a gesture of thanks.

As he constantly drifted in and out of thinking about what had taken place, Freddy kept touching the bottle's outline.

 _This elixir had to work! It just had to!_ He whined inwardly.

At this point, he could not allow his emotions to get the best of him!

He did the right thing...didn't he? Andrea and Father desperately needed a cure! Didn't they? What was it going to take for him to finally convince himself that he did not make a mistake?

He fought mightily to defeat that vicious and ominous monster of doubt which tenaciously plagued his hopeful heart with all manner of frightful suspicions! It seemed that with every step the worried young man took, the tiny flicker of uncertainty inside him kept increasing steadily. Soon the flicker would become a raging flame, fiercely consuming him.

 _What on earth have you done, Frederick Beaumont?_

He knew he would go mad if he didn't try to keep the notion that something was terribly wrong, from gnawing at him. How strongly he yearned for everything to be wonderful once again in his life, _and_ in the lives of his father and sisters! Did he think, _sister, with an "s" at the end?_ Indeed he did!

Yes, even he, _if reluctantly_ , wished goodwill toward those two wretched "crones" from hell who were presently masquerading as his siblings, Annabella and Alyssa!

Perhaps he would again go against his good judgment to humor the scheming Madame Dorothea, and invite her over to the house to perform one of her _bogus_ witching ceremonies to cast out the imps presently occupying the bodies of 'Joined At The Hip!'

He pondered offering a small portion of the 'Miracle' to the women in hopes that the ingredients contained therein would make them _nicer_.

 _Annabella and Alyssa, nicer? Hmmmm, maybe Madame Dorothea might have better luck with those two!_

Freddy gleefully imagined the old woman uttering some spooky incantation as she danced wildly about, creepily encircling Annabella and Alyssa.

This ancient hen would then frightfully hold her long claw-like fingernails over the women's heads, mutter something incomprehensible with red eyes bulging, and then begin vigorously flapping her arms and kicking up her heels to send the evil spirits on the run. The whole idea was to _scare_ the monsters out of them.

Finally, this silly charlatan would end her entertaining little sham with a resounding, "DEVILS, BE GONE OUT OF THEM!," as she feverishly laid her gnarled hands upon the women's confused heads, intensely hoping inwardly, that her elaborate "spell" had worked.

Freddy chuckled to himself at this delightful fantasy. The unmistakable look of horror, coupled with the offended expressions on his sisters' rotten faces during this fraudulent exorcism, would well be worth a front row seat!

Freddy _knew_ that would be an offer the old sorceress could not refuse! Madame Dorothea could never resist an opportunity to make a spectacle of herself, or even to deceive some poor, unsuspecting soul out of parting with their hard earned money.

Thinking about this old witch and her foolish antics, caused him to gloomily recall that _he himself ,_ was that poor, unsuspecting soul who just parted with his hard earned money!

A sudden sharp pang appeared in the pit of his stomach. He thought he would throw up on the side of the road, just then. Freddy then intentionally slowed his steps to settle his queasy belly.

Beads of sweat suddenly peppered his brow. Briefly, his head spun.

 _How can a smart person be so dumb? How will your precious sister and father eat, now?!_

Damned conscience! He could do nothing to quiet it!

Maybe he did indeed make a mistake in going forth with this impulsive action. Perhaps spending all that they had, might later prove to be utterly foolish! But the need he felt was too great! Yes, the pressing urgency to live a tranquil existence in that little stone house may have surely clouded his otherwise usual shrewdness.

But he kept reassuring himself that buying the mysterious product might be well worth it after all.

Just think of it! Father would soon stop his uncontrollable drinking and start behaving like a _real_ father once again. He would be more attentive to his children's well-being by showing them love and understanding. He would not continue to tolerate the constant bickering and ill-will which had been plaguing the relationship between the four siblings for years.

Freddy believed Ferdinand did not quite understand... _or care_ , for that matter, about the great depths of animosity his children were feeling toward one other.

It was two against two!

Annabella and Alyssa loathed Freddy and Andrea, and the feeling was definitely mutual for Freddy and Andrea toward the two women as well. With each passing day, the siblings' hatred toward one another, seemed to intensify! Freddy greatly longed for Ferdinand to quickly return to his senses, and stop this horrible alienation that had been greatly overtaking his children since the family fell into a state of poverty.

His beloved Andrea with her self-consciousness around her looks, and his liquor shackled father, needed someone to come to their rescue, he adamantly reasoned.

The money was certainly hard to come by to begin with for those tiny and nearly defective eggs.

It was the perfect sacrifice.

But it did not seem to matter.

He struggled, almost in a futile sense, to ignore the _true_ voice of reason creeping up in his conscience.

 _Well, Frederick Beaumont, what do you have to say for yourself?_

 _What is your family supposed to eat and live on, until you find employment?_

 _Heaven knows how long it might be before you finally get something!_

 _You are no better than Ferdinand the fool, who frivolously wastes his money on trifling things such as spirits!_

 _You never should have done that Freddy!_

 _Andrea will be sorely disappointed in you!_

 _God...Andrea!_

Freddy dreaded the intense expression of displeasure which was certain to be washed over his dear sister's greatly marred features. That, he seriously could not take!

It would utterly _destroy him_ if he discovered she had been hurt, and that he had been the culprit to her sorrow. Andrea was no doubt, his weakness,...his "Achilles Heel."

Truth be told, he bought the damned elixir more for her, than for his nearly senile father!

"I...I will make her understand!" The determined Freddy spoke audibly, sincerely believing his favorite sibling would come to see things his way.

 _Besides, didn't she herself desperately yearn for a cure?_

The young man kicked little rocks and pebbles that were strewn here and there along the dirt path. His restless mind busied itself, becoming acutely caught up in how his precious Andrea was going to react.

 _Stop it Freddy! Calm yourself! She will be pleased with what you've done!_ He strongly reassured himself...but it was to no avail.

But never mind his dear Andrea! Frederick Beaumont had another type of unpleasant force to reckon with!

Ferdinand.

It was Ferdinand the fool, no doubt, who would not let him off the hook that easily, especially because of what transpired between them that morning!

Here it was, his only son, scornfully and disdainfully describing the old man as a drunkard who carelessly wasted what little money the family had, on liquor. Then, this _same_ son, turns around and does practically the same thing as the old merchant! He squanders the money allotted for their food and rent!

Like father, like son!

Freddy could almost hear the silly and ridiculous taunts, freely spewing out of the alcohol scented mouth of his father, like the venom shooting forth from the fangs of a poisonous snake!

Ferdinand would laugh hard and jeeringly at his son, calling Freddy every word that was synonymous with "stupid," and words along the lines of "hypocrite."

Suddenly, the young man got his bearings. To hell with all the imagined ridicule! He erred on the side of love. He would take his chances. Freddy vigorously inhaled and exhaled, then marched on, braving the unyielding assault of the winds. He headed in the direction of his home with the determination and steadfastness of a mighty soldier.

 _I won't worry. I'll get the money back by finding employment as a science tutor!_

00000000000000000000

Annabella and Andrea were mortified!

Here it was, Ferdinand had an important visitor patiently waiting for him in their sitting room, and there the old man was, content as a king, laying stark naked in an empty bath tub. The two women glared at one another, wide eyed. Andrea could feel her entire body begin to shake in great fear. The alcohol may have finally did him in!

Ferdinand would not budge when they shook him. He was in a deep and not to mention, blissful sleep. This could not be happening! Would he ever come out of it?! Andrea almost cried when she realized her father had been secretly stashing liquor! The scoundrel!

She determined in her heart to turn the whole cottage upside down to uproot those hidden places where her evil father kept his intoxicating treasures!

Annabella desperately bent over the old man to roughly shake him awake. "Father! Father!" She whispered as best she could, not wanting their distinguished visitor, who waited in the sitting room to hear that something was amiss.

Drool began to trickle out of the side of the old merchant's mouth. Then suddenly, the sisters heard something which sounded like rolling thunder. The startling noise was coming out of the patriarch!

"Don't just stand there, like a fool!" Annabella barked scornfully at her little sister, who seemed to be in a confused state. "Help me wake him!" Annabella nudged her father once again. The only response she got was louder snoring. Andrea wrung her hands in dismay as she looked down at her father. He was so pale, so gray. He looked dead! Her mind froze and she couldn't think. An important man was here to see him and here he was, naked and feared dead!

Although her father made a racket with his snoring, Andrea was too distraught to even hear it!

She kept thinking that her father finally met his end by way of the drink!

Annabella fought the delightful urge to raise her hand and slap Andrea across the marred side of her face, to bring the girl back to her senses.

Annabella growled impatiently, lifting her eyes to the heavens. "Andrea!" She spat, causing her sister to return to reality with a start. "Must I be the one to do all the thinking?" Andrea's eyes went wide. She remained in her confused state.

"Silly wench, go fetch some water from the well and bring it back here!" Annabella hissed. "I'll continue trying to wake Father!" With out hesitation, Andrea followed her big sister's orders. She willed her stiffened legs to move as she ran to get the bucket.

Meanwhile, in the sitting room, Sir Gardot sat patiently waiting for Ferdinand Beaumont. He settled comfortably in the arm chair by the hearth, but he had been becoming increasingly uneasy, because Alyssa had not taken her eyes off of the man since he had entered the tiny room.

Sir Gardot squirmed a bit in his chair. He was not a man given to nervous impulses, but this child...or was she a _woman_ , he couldn't readily tell, was making him feel like some unearthly being with two heads! He stared back at her with a stoic expression on his face. Then he cleared his throat.

"Dear lady," he spoke pointedly. "You do understand that it is impolite to stare?" Just then, Alyssa's cheeks flushed. She closed her mouth and turned her head away bashfully. Her heart began to pound. She then slowly turned to face him again.

"Please forgive my rudeness, Sir Gardot," she giggled like a little schoolgirl. "But I do find you very handsome!"

Now it was the man's turn to blush.

At that moment, Annabella appeared in the doorway. Gardot was immediately relieved to see another person in their midst, who could certainly cause the awkwardness between himself and the woman- child sitting before him to dissipate.

Both he and Alyssa looked in Annabella's direction, simultaneously.

"Excuse me, Sir Gardot," Annabella nervously began.

"Yes, Madame." He responded politely.

"My...Father knows you are here," she lied. "He will be with you shortly." She continued, smiling nervously. "He is getting prepared to meet you. He was sleeping...when you arrived."

Sir Gardot raised his thick eyebrows in surprise. His gesture worried Annabella.

"I hope we are not inconveniencing you." Annabella quickly added with kindness in her voice.

"No, no. think nothing of it. I am prepared to wait." Sir Gardot smiled warmly at her. In that instance, Alyssa darted her eyes at her sister, giving the woman a sharp look of disapproval.

 _How dare she!_ Alyssa thought resentfully to herself. _She's flirting with him!_

There was a short silence as Gardot and Annabella's eyes met.

"I'm...I'm going to make some tea. Would you care for a cup?"

"I would love some." Gardot answered, smiling at her.

Annabella returned the smile and left the room. Alyssa watched her leave, secretly rolling her eyes at her older sister while her back was turned, for being such a tramp!

...

Meanwhile, back in the yard, Andrea had poured water from the bucket onto her father's wrinkled face. This did the trick. The cold water jolted the poor old man from his drunken sleep, that he almost leaped out of the tub!

"Althea! Althea!" He mournfully called his wife's name. Quickly, Andrea hurried back and forth with the pail, constantly retrieving water from the well and filling the tub for the merchant to bathe himself. As she went to get a bar of soap for him from a shelf in the kitchen, she spotted Annabella standing over the large, black iron stove, preparing some tea.

"What are you doing that for?" Andrea asked, as she headed toward the backyard.

Annabella answered her with disdain, giving her a sideways glance.

"This is to sober Father up, you ninny!"

Andrea only ignored her and tended to the person who was of more importance to her. She instructed her father to wash up well, because there was an important man in the sitting room to see him.

She even made Ferdinand gargle with scented soap water to get the smell of alcohol off his breath.

In frustration, the girl tossed the tin flask which the merchant held so tightly, away into the tall grass.

Andrea then cried. "How could you, Father!" Ferdinand was crushed as he helplessly watched her tears flow.

"You promised you would quit!" Andrea choked.

"I miss your mother, Princess, that is mainly why I drink!"

Andrea breathed a sigh of hopelessness. "Hurry up." She ignored his excuse for drinking.

"Let us not keep Sir Gardot waiting!"

...

Alyssa and Sir Gardot were having small talk while he waited for Ferdinand to surface.

Gardot did not really care to converse with Alyssa. He secretly looked upon her as a half witted person. Surely, anyone who stared intensely at another human being was rude and lacked good sense. Alyssa was practically an adult, and she should have known better. But since he was there, Gardot was forced to pass the time, engaging in mindless chatter with this wretched creature.

Alyssa positioned herself at his feet. He looked down at her curiously as he sat in the armchair.

"Why don't you sit in the other armchair across from me?" The man inquired. "Perhaps you would be more comfortable there."

"I'm comfortable right here." Alyssa replied rather seductively as she stared up at him with puppy dog eyes. Gardot was a much older man. But he was ruggedly handsome. He had the alluring scent of spice and expensive soap floating from his clothing. Alyssa had not encountered a man who smelled this good in a long while...next to her brother, of course.

The men at the _Wild_ _Boar Inn_ where she and Annabella frequented, practically every Friday evening (without Ferdinand's knowledge, of course), only smelled...or rather, wreaked of sweat, sex and ale. She would only pretend to be interested in them, but she would have none of them! They were all too lewd and uncouth!

Sir Gardot warily waited for the other sister to reappear with the tea. What was taking so long?

Being alone with Alyssa was unbearable.

"So, you sail ships?" She asked in a childlike manner.

"Yes." Gardot answered stiffly, looking straight ahead.

"You are very handsome."

"Thank you," came his icy reply.

He continued looking straight ahead at the doorway where Annabella stood earlier.

"I think I like you." Alyssa smiled sheepishly.

No answer came from Gardot. He only swallowed,... nervously.

Why did she make him nervous?

He hated that!

"I would like to sleep with you!" Alyssa admitted, casually.

Gardot nearly fell out of his seat! He was horrified! But he managed to keep his displeasure under wraps.

"For your information, dear lady, I am a happily married man!" He said with conviction.

"That doesn't matter to me...Pierre." she gently touched his knee. Again, he said nothing, but steadily kept his eyes fixed to that doorway leading into the kitchen. Her touch sent a sharp surge of electricity through him. But he managed, with tremendous effort, to remain stoic.

He now found her...beguiling.

He hated that!

"And besides," Alyssa continued, "Judging from the way you were eyeing my sister, it shouldn't matter to you either!" She gave him a coy grin.

 _Well, Pierre, you certainly misjudged this wild little minx!_ He mused. _She's not a half-wit after all. She could read you like a book!_

How he hated that!

The torment of being in this WOMAN'S presence...(not woman-child anymore, to be sure!), was slowly killing him. He could endure it no longer.

Gardot was about to change his mind and leave. Just as he made a motion to rise up from where he sat, Annabella finally arrived with the tea. Not far behind her, came Ferdinand. He was bathed, shaved, perfumed _and sober!_

Upon seeing him, Gardot rose, stepped over Alyssa as though she were some sleeping cat, and walked over to embrace his friend. Alyssa was clearly miffed as she observed his blatant dismissal of her.

The two men laughed loud and heartily as they embraced.

"Ferdinand it is so good to see you!" Both women in the room marveled at how effortlessly Gardot's cool exterior instantly melted away. He suddenly appeared...human.

"It's wonderful to see you too!" Ferdinand replied. He too seemed instantly transformed. Ferdinand looked so good standing there in his clean clothes and hair combed, that one would never think to refer to the man as a drunk, or a _fool_ , for that matter.

"How is your beautiful wife, Eva?" Ferdinand joyfully inquired. At the mention of this strange woman's name, both Annabella and Alyssa frowned simultaneously. The tea tray which also held sugar coated scones, almost fell from Annabella's grip.

"Oh, she is doing very well!" Gardot answered, beaming.

"Is she still as stunning as I remember her?" Ferdinand pressed.

"She is as beautiful as an English Rose!" Gardot uttered the words caressingly. That was the dagger which pierced Alyssa's heart. Annabella looked uncomfortable and was immensely displeased at this too.

Watching this most interesting scene unfold secretly from the kitchen, was the disfigured girl. Andrea had a sixth sense which told her that her evil sisters were liking the same man. She snickered with fiendish delight around this, and couldn't wait to tell Freddy all about it!

Ah...how sweet it was to watch these two witches with egg on their faces!

Gardot's cheerful, booming voice, quickly brought Andrea out of her pleasant musings.

"Ferdinand, I have some wonderful news for you!" The gentleman began excitedly.

"What is it dear friend?"

"It is about your ships! Not all of them were lost in that horrible storm! We learned that one of them was found after all these many years!"

Ferdinand and his three daughters eyes all went wide!

"Ferdinand my friend, this ship could still be stocked with those priceless goods you bought from other lands! You still may very well be rich!"

The old merchant, Alyssa and Andrea all gasped.

Annabella dropped the tea tray.

00000000000000000000

"Hear me, and hear me well, Thomas!" Prince Victor commanded the top guardian of his castle.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Thomas leaned in to hear what his leader had to say.

"This evening, as soon as the sun sets, I want you to take me down into the deep dark depths of this castle, beneath these flagstone floors, and lock me tightly away in that dungeon!"

"But Sire!"

"Do not argue with me Thomas! Remember your place!"

"But why, Your Highness?"

"Trust me... this must be done." Prince Victor told him directly.

 _This must be done until I can find her...my cure...she's out there somewhere...but where?!_

He thought this very sadly to himself.

00000000000000000000

"Hurry now men!"

"Yes, _Doctor_ Lotorious!" The men sang together.

"We must pack up and leave this town hastily before the authorities catch up with us!"

"How much did we make today, _Doctor_?" One man asked.

"Thousands my friend...thousands!" Lotorious beamed with pride.

"All from peddling _poisoned_ cherry water!" The little man with the guitar, interjected.

They all laughed.


	9. Chapter 9

Richard stood staring pensively out of the window of his small study, and what a beautiful view he had at his disposal too!

Under ordinary circumstances, he would have actually _noticed_ the breathtaking scenery before him. But in recent days, the world seemed to be crushing his shoulders, and everything which normally held his keen interest, was gradually fading from his usual rapt attention. He was becoming increasingly distant from those around him because he felt he had been losing control of his life.

Whenever anything was greatly pressing upon his heart to worry him, he would oftentimes find himself standing before this huge glass structure, beautifully draped with curtains of gold tapestry, and would hopelessly lose himself in a bout of intense brooding.

He breathed a deep, unhappy sigh as he looked past the awesome sight outstretched before him, and focused instead on what was concealed behind the hidden portals of his mind.

He had been daydreaming...again.

He willingly enveloped himself in this idle activity every now and then to escape his seemingly daunting reality. He daydreamed about _something._.. _something_ unattainable... _something_... that awakened heated desire within him... _something_ forbidden...

Daily, his restless mind kept revisiting _that "something_."

But never mind that. His psyche kept drifting in and out of what had been actually happening around him too. How he wished he could remain in fantasy land! Real life made him feel like he was suffocating!

How was he ever going to pry himself loose from the frightful ties that were eagerly and rigidly waiting to tightly bind him in the dreaded "prison" of matrimony?

When was he ever going to stop living his life to primarily please other people?

He _had_ to please Mother and Father and _her_ , his betrothed. _They_ wanted this!

 _I cannot possibly go through with this marriage charade! I would sooner be led to the guillotine! That would be far more bearable than what is awaiting me!_

He gravely shuddered at the horrifying thought. He was certainly not ready to renounce the divine and promiscuous freedom of bachelorhood. Oh no! They would have to drag him down the aisle kicking and screaming!

Richard envisioned himself nervously standing at the altar, facing his intended bride, waiting for the preacher to announce, "I now _sentence_ you, man and wife," instead of using the familiar word, " _pronounce."_

Surely, he should be granted one last _fling_! _And_ it should ideally be with none other than that maiden of mystery!

If anyone truly cared about his fragile state, they would willingly allow him this one last taste of taboo, before his approaching nuptials.

For a brief moment, while greatly submerged in his agonizing private yearnings about this _special_ "something," _and_ standing perfectly still as a statue, he was suddenly startled. A small bird glided toward the window and landed effortlessly on the window ledge. The beautiful winged creature jolted him back into the land of the living with its heavenly singing.

Its high pitched cheerful whistling, pierced the air as its tiny blue wings fluttered rapidly. It sang ever so sweetly, clearly making it plain to all its listeners, that it was truly a fortunate little bird, blessed to be unburdened by the never ending cares of this passing life.

How Richard envied that lark right then!

 _Let us trade places_! He wistfully mused.

The little lark skillfully worked her powerful magic on him and successfully coaxed him out of his trance to _finally_ take notice of the view of the world in front of him. It was almost as if she were reminding him to count his many forgotten blessings. Undoubtedly, not everyone in the township in which he dwelled, was as privileged as he was.

Many a person would have killed to be in his comfortable position, he marveled, rubbing his chin as he considered this appealing fact.

He came from one of the best families, attended the best schools, lived in one of the best homes, and socialized with some of the best people to ever come out of the community. He lived comfortably, indeed.

His sharp mind was definitely out of the clouds now as he surveyed nature's lovely scene.

He noticed a multitude of tall trees, richly adorned with bright green leaves, vividly appearing spectacular as the brilliant sun shined down upon them. In other areas, the foliage was steadily transforming into a darker shade of green, and the colorful flowers were now blooming everywhere in their glorious splendor!

The songbirds were out in full force too, enthusiastically belting out joyful tunes to gaily usher in the warmer months which lay ahead. Indeed, summer was fast approaching, and no one was more pleased about this than Richard Chastain.

At least the months with pleasant weather seemed to have a positive affect on his moods. Thank goodness for that!

Autumn and Winter always depressed him. Nonetheless, as an avid lover of nature, he considered himself quite lucky to watch the seasons magically melt into one another. And he witnessed all of this from that great bay window where he stood.

The considerably large Chastain estate where he lived with his parents, was securely and conveniently nestled in the majestic purple hills which surrounded the quaint little village below. Richard thought his father was a true genius for building a home for his family far from the maddening noise and confusion of the ever bustling town.

The Chastain men needed peace and quiet, for heaven's sake, to work on their world changing experiments in science. It was the 1800s, and it seemed like new discoveries in medicine and other sciences were being made to help people live richer, fuller and healthier lives, and Richard wanted so much to be part of the group of trailblazers rapidly surfacing during his time.

The young man developed his love of chemistry and biology from his scholarly father, Benjamin Chastain. Richard showed much interest in these things at a very young age. He also came to love music and art from being molded by his talented mother, Louisa, who was an accomplished violinist and a brilliant artist who painted skillfully using watercolors and oils, and whose extraordinary work was displayed in prestigious museums around the world.

The family was very much well to do, and lived comfortably in a lavish home complete with stables for their eight horses, and land which stretched for miles. Although Richard enjoyed his home, he adored his laboratory immensely. His father put it together for him. The young man would spend hours on end cooped up in that room, feverishly at work on some experiment, or developing new formulas or _cures_ for the many diseases currently plaguing his countrymen.

His laboratory conveniently doubled as a study. He liked being able to sit at his large, polished oak table, tucked away in a corner, to deeply concentrate on his work by candlelight every night. He lived to solve many a mathematical or scientific problem which might normally baffle scholars of that area of study. He felt alive when he knew the work he engrossed himself in was for a good cause, and that he would one day reap the benefits of his diligent labor, not so much financially, but humanistically.

Richard's parents taught him to care genuinely for his fellow men and to strive to make a great difference in the world. He took everything his parents taught him to heart. He enjoyed being an only child and adored being the very center of mother and father's attention. They were tremendously proud of their son, and were extremely delighted that he wanted to be a scientist.

They loved the fact that he was popular at the college he presently attended. Both male and the _very few_ female students there, genuinely enjoyed Richard's company, and not to mention, brilliance.

Every afternoon, when classes let out, a swarm of students gathered anxiously around him like bees to honey, to anxiously pick his studious brain on some intricate mathematical calculation, or some odd scientific finding that needed immediate clarification. Oftentimes, it seemed as though he _should_ have been the one instructing their challenging classes instead of Professor Le Beau, the school's _dull_ Headmaster!

Although Richard would be totally immersed and contentedly socializing with his classmates in the small yard outside the schoolhouse building, he always had an eerie feeling he was _being watched_.

One afternoon, he thought he saw something that resembled a girl, peeking right at him from behind a tree. Who was she? Was it in _fact_ , a _girl_? And why was she hiding? And come to think of it, she seemed to be hiding one side of her face with a scarf...hmmm...

Perhaps it was only his vivid imagination. Maybe he _was_ seeing things. After all, he had been working much too hard, lately. Mother was always after him to get to bed in the evenings at a decent time. But he rarely heeded her maternal instruction in this matter.

On many occasions, he would be too excited to sleep anyway, because of his steadfast science and math addiction. There was desperately no hope for him in that regard. Once the young scholar focused his over curious mind on something, it was often futile to bring him out of this stronghold of an obsession. Only the magical powers of drowsiness proved successful in ultimately releasing him from his delightful prison of labor.

As for his over curious mind, it was rigidly focused nowadays on that lovely fairy of a girl, who had been hiding behind that tree in the schoolyard. He could not for the life of him, make out her features, but he was altogether intrigued, to say the least!

Although there would be no classes the following day, Richard thought he might visit the school grounds...in a... _leisurely_ sort of way...of course, in hopes of "accidentally" spying the mystery woman eyeing him from behind some bush or from behind wherever else she had chosen to hide.

 _And what might you want with me, you mischievous little elf?_ He smiled with utter deliciousness, privately savoring the ever pleasant thought of successfully capturing this little princess, and holding her tightly in his stubborn grip of raw passion, never to let her go!

She _was_ indeed beautiful...or, he strongly _imagined_ that she was. He had only seen one side of her face, and the little he saw, was certainly quite pleasing. Besides, every woman who happened to fortunately find herself hopelessly attracted to him, _HAD_ to be very attractive, and surely, Richard instinctively _knew_ , that this creature of mystery, who delighted in playing "hide-and-go-seek," was no exception.

How he adored fantasizing about embracing _and_ _kissing_ another woman to whom he was not betrothed to. He firmly made up his mind. This potentially delectable creature, would become his prey. It would be utter joy and sport to pursue _that_ forbidden fruit in which he longed to sink his teeth into, once he got her within his reach...

But he knew he had to maintain self control. The last thing he ever wanted to do was frighten her away!

He felt himself becoming... more and more "excited" the longer his filthy mind dwelled on her.

Then, in that moment, he heard the door of his study creak slowly open.

He was abruptly brought back to reality by the sound of someone giggling behind him. He spun around like a man on fire to face the wretched intruder. His eyes were wide with fright and surprise, dreading that his forbidden thoughts might have been discovered!

Thank Goodness the woman standing so confidently before him was incapable of reading minds, otherwise, Richard was bound to find himself tediously answering a multitude of jealous questions from this female viper and, not to mention, _intensely_ _inquisitive_ woman he clearly could not stand, _and_ did not love!

 _Ugh! Not her again! Hadn't she left yet? I suppose she and Mother were still imprisoned in the clutches of the all too consuming process of planning my funeral...err...wedding,...that is._

After years of being a playful, and not to mention,a blissful bachelor,... and having only to lovingly _and happily_ contend with the supreme being near and dear to his heart, namely, his doting and angelic mother, another female was going to " _rudely"_ barge in and take mommy's place in his life. To hell with marriage! It was a disgusting institution which harshly separated a boy from his devoted mother as far as he was concerned!

So, it truly may as well have been a damned funeral that was to take place very soon, anyhow!

He made a mental note to remember to choose the finest suit to be "buried" in.

He doubted the wench which stood so boldly in front him harbored any culinary skills, or was even remotely able to sew on a button, for that matter! This was no old fashioned girl, and he _wanted_ an old-fashioned girl! He _needed_ an old-fashioned girl! Life was so not fair!

 _She can't even play a musical instrument, like Mother!_ He whined inwardly.

 _The woman I marry, must be able to help soothe my cluttered brain, when I come in exhausted after toiling for long hours at the university! She must be very competent in filling the air with the heavenly sounds of her music. It should flow richly all throughout our home, resounding from an instrument she played exceptionally well, herself!_

Just then, he wondered if that alluring little nymph, who loved hiding behind trees was able to play any instrument.

 _Oh, how I certainly hope so! ...and I do intend to find out!_ He impishly purposed in his mischievous heart.

Poor Richard was about to become a married man and there seemed to be no way of escaping his impending doom!

It was inevitable.

There she stood, in the room with him, beaming ear to ear with blue eyes sparkling, and pearly white teeth gleaming, just admiring him...much to his chagrin!

Charlotte.

Elegant, graceful, beautiful, fascinating, intelligent, wealthy, _overbearing_ and not to mention, _nosey...and manipulative,_ Charlotte Wellington! She was the blushing bride to be.

She, like him, experienced a rich upbringing. Both their families were passionately delighted with the news of the couple's engagement and upcoming nuptials... _all Charlotte's_ _malicious scheme, to be sure!,_ Richard miserably thought.

"We must keep all of this wonderful money in the family!," he once overheard his bombastic future father-in-law telling his parents.

And indeed, Mr. and Mrs. Chastain readily and enthusiastically agreed. Charlotte was remarkably perfect for their only son. Mrs. Chastain was particularly pleased because she knew her future daughter-in-law would not give Richard a moment's peace if he tried to misbehave.

Her "baby boy" would be an exceptional husband... _whether he liked it or not_!

She was well aware that her son had a reputation with the young maidens in the township...and it was _not_ a good one.

Charlotte was exactly the type of wife he needed. She would mold him...keep him in line...control him. He would never be let out of her sight! After all, Mrs. Chastain was counting on her.

 _Good grief!_ Richard whimpered. He thought wildly that if he could not run away from this smothering wench, he would have to murder her after they were wed and boldly blame the crime on that famous town witch, Madame Dorothea!

And why not? That old sorceress was capable of _anything_ bizarre! Everyone knew that. It was common knowledge! She would be the perfect person to frame! Oh...but then, she would be burned at the stake for the murder! No matter, she was a witch and _burning_ would be a fitting end for her! She was destined to die in such a manner, anyhow. _She was a witch!_ She would soon be destroyed. It was only a matter of time.

Suddenly, a delicious grin came over Richard's handsome countenance as he thought of his devious plan. Granted, he was only toying with the idea of ridding himself of Charlotte. But it had great potential of becoming a reality if she pushed him too far. He would wait and see. He would watch her closely... _Only make one false move, fair maiden, and you, yourself, will be no more!_ He darkly mused.

"Richard, Darling!" Ugh...that wretched voice! That high pitched annoying sound! That voice alone was good enough reason to kill her!

"Why are you smiling so strangely like that, Richard Darling?" Charlotte sweetly inquired, walking over to him to properly adjust his tie. _She's starting already!_ Richard muffled a frustrating sigh.

The lovely scent of her perfume, pleasantly filled his nostrils just then, causing him to forget his murderous meditations for a brief moment. The aroma was so intoxicating that he found himself gripped by it. He truly hoped she would wear _this_ perfume more regularly,... for her sake.

It could be the very thing which saved her life if he ever happened to fly into a terrible rage during their marriage.

"I'm smiling because I'm so happy to see you, sweetheart!" He lied. Somehow, lying to her came easy. He had a sneaky feeling he would be regularly practicing the fine art of fibbing, long after they became man and wife.

Charlotte smiled brightly after hearing his sweet response. Her deep blue eyes sparkled and her dimples instantly appeared in her rosy cheeks. Richard gently ran his fingers through her thick, dark raven hair which flowed to her shoulders beneath a wide brimmed hat, nicely decorated with pink silk roses, blue satin ribbons and lace . _I have to make this look good!_ _She must believe that I'm in love with her. This_ _way, she, nor anyone would never suspect..._

Good heavens! Who was he kidding! He was no murderer! He would just have to sneak around behind her back and hope to never get caught in his infidelities.

"Oh, Richard, Darling, you say the most wonderful things!" Charlotte cooed. "I cannot wait until we are wed!" She practically sang.

"...Neither can I!" He practically wept.

She lovingly stroked his cheek with her white gloved hand. Then she surveyed his study.

After her prying eyes slowly traveled around the dimly lit room, taking in every minute detail, they ultimately rested on his large oak desk, with mountains of paper, haphazardly strewn everywhere, with scientific formulas carelessly scribbled on them. A shiny black microscope which sat in the midst of the chaos, seemed to trigger her memory of something. He could almost see the wheels of intense thinking turning in her pretty little head.

After a long pause, she spoke. "How unbelievably messy you are, Richard, Darling!"

Richard breathed hard through his nose to show his smoldering displeasure around her scornful comment.

But then she came back with a flighty, "Will you be willing to help my nephew, Herbert with his science lessons from time to time? The poor dear is having the most frustrating experience with formulas and calculations, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera..."

"I'm so sorry Charlotte. I'm afraid I have too much work to do. I'm very busy, as you can clearly see." He drew her attention once again to his sloppy desk, pointing to it with his chin.

Charlotte breathed a labored sigh. "Alright then, I suppose I must put an advertisement in the village newspaper for a science tutor."

"Do that. That is a very sound idea." Richard was supremely grateful he was able to get off the hook and be finally free to bury himself in his own work and tend to his own business.

"Will it be quite alright with you, if Herbert were to be tutored here?" She asked, hoping he would say _yes._ He _had_ to say it anyway because she had been routinely _training_ him to say it to _her_. "Our villa in the South of France is being redecorated for the summer, and there will be no room, nor anywhere with peace and quiet for him to study."

"That will not be a problem. This house has three libraries. Herbert and his tutor may work in any one of those rooms they choose." Richard gladly reassured her.

"So is that a _yes_?" Charlotte delicately stroked his chin as she uttered the words, dripping with honey.

"Yes!" He would gladly be her disciplined little puppy if it served a purpose for him down the road. She wasn't the only scheming one!

"Splendid! I will put forth the advertisement on the morrow!" Charlotte then warmly embraced him. Her perfume filled his nostrils again. Then he had another thought. He wondered if that mysterious girl wore exquisite and _expensive_ perfumes too.

He was _dying_ to find out!

00000000000000000000

There was indeed a joyous uproar in the Beaumont household when Ferdinand, desperately hoping to restore his massive fortune, made the immediate decision to meet one of his recovered ships, thought to be ultimately lost at sea. It was truly cause for celebration!

This was why Andrea was happy to have rid the house of every trace of her father's liquor long before they received this surprising news! She searched every nook and cranny and secret hiding place he might think to hide his spirits. She clearly had enough of his drunken antics, and was now insanely determined to keep him sober.

This meant keeping a rigid eye on him to make sure he stayed out of trouble, and more importantly, the town's asylum, where drunkards were imprisoned. After a long while, She did manage to find an empty bottle buried under the dirt and straw on the ground of Lilah's chicken coop.

She rolled her eyes toward the heavens, sighing and nearly crying. _Father really needs help! But how can it possibly come about? I am only one person. He needs a doctor or some miracle potion!_

Andrea was forcibly brought out of her thoughts of despair by the sounds of screaming by "Joined At The Hip." She carefully watched from her hiding place as Annabella and Alyssa embraced one another, wildly jumping up and down in pure excitement. Sir Gardot was noticeably taken aback by them. They both suddenly appeared to him as brazen and uncouth in character. How unladylike they were! He was under the glaring impression that all they cared about was the money.

Then, Annabella, in her great happiness, unexpectedly kicked the tea tray which lay at her feet, forcibly sending it sailing across the floor at lightening speed, to ultimately end up under an armchair, cozily positioned in a far off corner of the small room.

Andrea keenly observed the look of horror which shadowed Sir Gardot's bearded face. And to think, he almost found himself "liking" this crude individual! Spilt tea and scones lay strewn all about on the wood floors Andrea swept a few hours ago, and the two women danced gleefully and rudely, right on top of the mess! Alyssa almost slipped in the tea puddle! Andrea wanted to faint right then and there at the astonishing sight she had been witnessing.

 _What dreadful animals!_ She spat.

As the "witches" paraded around the sitting room, they confidently made bold declarations.

"Ah! No more old and ugly clothes!" Alyssa sang, throwing her head back in a loud, haughty laugh. Annabella clapped her hands in tremendous agreement.

"From now on, there will be nothing but the very best for us!" Annabella boldly shouted to Alyssa. "We shall have the best dresses, the best carriages pulled by white horses, the best jewelry, and not to mention, the best _men!_ " When she declared this, she gave Sir Gardot a secret, seductive look. The man was horrified and blushed at her forwardness. A sober Ferdinand frowned at his daughter with great disapproval.

Ironically, _she_ embarrassed _him_ this time, instead of the other way around!

Sir Gardot began to feel very uncomfortable and quickly reached for his hat as a sign he had seen enough...or rather, _endured_ enough from these two crones, and was now determined on leaving this house of utter madness. He quietly reminded Ferdinand that he can see to his ship in the morning. Then he hurried to leave like a demon was after him, with Ferdinand close at his heels to see him to the door. Before they reached the front door, it swiftly flew open and Freddy came stomping in, fully covered in the dust of the road.

The young man was visibly startled to discover that they had company. And _distinguished_ company at that!

Freddy's eyes fell curiously on his two sisters engrossed in what seemed like vulgar merriment.

 _What on earth is going on?_ He inwardly questioned himself. When Ferdinand saw his son, he beamed and held out his pale, wrinkled hand to Freddy, and placed it on the lad's shoulder. The merchant then looked into his friend Gardot's deep, expressive eyes. He could not wait to introduce Gardot to his tall and handsome son.

Gardot stared curiously at Freddy's condition. After a short pause, Freddy uttered, "It was dreadfully windy, earlier, Sir." The visitor nodded politely to indicate that he understood, then he smiled.

"My friend, this is my only son, Frederick. I am extremely proud of him! Frederick, this is my good friend, Pierre Gardot." Both Freddy and Gardot, shook one another's black gloved hands. Freddy was hardly paying any attention to the introduction though, because he was greatly surprised at the sight of his aged father! This was indeed the rebirth of Ferdinand Beaumont! The patriarch was all cleaned up, smelling good and more astonishingly, in his right mind!

And this was entirely without any Miracle Elixir!

Phew! What a difference a day made!

Was he in the right house? Freddy marveled. Surely, this could not be the home he shared for so many years with a regularly inebriated father! What on earth had taken place during his absence? He would ask Andrea for the incredible details later. Freddy held a hypnotic stare on his father. He examined the old man closely, hoping this was no magic trick, sinisterly performed by the great Madame Dorothea.

Perhaps the spell would ware off in a few minutes. He instinctively refused to believe what he saw, knowing Ferdinand as well as he did.

Afterwards, the old merchant wasted no time in telling his son the wonderful news about the ship, which had been the reason for everyone's excitement.

"R..r...rich...again?" Freddy could hardly say the word. This was surprising news, indeed! He began to smile, and even laugh,... then stopped himself when he instantly thought of what he had done at the marketplace earlier that morning!

"Why that look of fear, my boy?" Said his father, interrupting his worried thoughts. "Be happy! Now you can marry a fine lady with a decent upbringing and not one of these poor maidens from the village! You and your lovely chosen bride can then have plenty of children! And you will be able to support them all! Make me a grandfather, my son!"

Freddy seemed to ignore his father's little speech. He had been too moved by the look of happiness in his father's eyes. He had not seen that look in a very long time. It had been literally ages! He had almost forgotten that his father was literally capable of such an emotion as joy. When his mother died, his father's emotions died with her. He became a sorry shell of a man after her sudden passing. And if this change in Ferdinand's demeanor was in fact the work of that old witch, he made a mental note to thank the strange Madame Dorothea for her rare success in finally getting one of her spells to actually work!

Well then, if they were all going to be wealthy once more, Freddy did not have to worry about finding employment as a science tutor. This news was just the sort of blessing his family truly needed.

He then remembered something. In all of the excitement, he had almost forgotten!

The Miracle Elixir.

He had to find Andrea to give it to her.

00000000000000000000

The sun had set nearly four hours later, and Prince Victor was locked securely away in a dungeon beneath his castle.

He stood behind thick iron bars which he believed would surely hold him with no chance of ever escaping. This pleased him. He thought he could stand spending the night in that dark and ominous place if it were not for the stench of urine which had been sharply permeating from the shadowed corners of his cell. He stood on a floor paved with flagstones, that were thickly covered with dirt and straw...which within a few more hours, was bound to be his bed!

He sadly surveyed the ground and happened to spy one or two large rats scurrying about, perhaps desperately hunting for scraps of food. Maybe some unfortunate soul left a morsel there to feed them. He suddenly felt a sense of guilt as he thought of the many inmates he had heartlessly banished to this ungodly place. But as a prince, he was merely exercising his authority, punishing people for their crimes. This is where they came, and this is where they stayed,... and rotted.

The thick stone walls were vastly high, and wreaked of mold and mildew. There was an opening very far above the cell walls, which served as a window where the light from the sky softly streamed through. This was the only way a prisoner was able to tell whether it was day or night. The stone walls were so compressed, that it was impossible to hear what was going on in the world outside. The only sounds to be heard in this dismal hole were a warden's boots pounding hard against the cold stone floors every now and then, along with the noise of his jingling keys, loudly echoing throughout this makeshift hell.

A constant dripping of water, he knew not from whence it came, made a maddening racket as it mercilessly kept filling his sensitive ears, only to be drowned out by the dreadful squeaking of vermin. It unnerved him.

This was where he intended to remain, for _his_ _safety_ from the authorities and more importantly, for the safety of those around him, until this diabolical spell passed. Many of his royal subjects could not understand exactly _why_ he needed to be tucked away in this lonely place. He never disclosed his secret to any of them during the years he suffered with his "ailment."

It was too risky, and most certainly, too unwise to trust any soul with this bizarre information.

It was only recently this horrid _thing_ was becoming more...violent. So, he was forced to start taking the necessary precautions.

He had already given his guards strict orders never to come down to the dungeon tonight.

Prince Victor could easily endure a natural prison. But he needed to be freed from the prison deep within him. He needed _her_ , whomever she was. He desperately needed her to come to him!

Why all the delay? Where on earth was she?

The evil enchantress' instructions were clear. She had to have a pure heart, and _she_ had to come to him. He could not go to her, otherwise, the spell would never be broken.

Where was this pure-hearted maiden hiding? Did such a woman exist? And if she did exist, could she love him...as he was?

Could he love her... _as he was?_

Daily, he kept asking himself these same pressing questions. And because he had no answers to any of them, he had no peace.

He strongly felt like giving up all hope just then. Being in that cell made it quite easy for him to be full of despair. His surroundings were tremendously bleak and it greatly affected his mood.

His predicament sickened him!

But what deeply concerned the prince more than anything else, was that by some chance, he knew he _would_ be able to escape this heavily secured dungeon at some point in time. His blood ran cold at the thought of it!

Speaking of _blood_ , he could already tell that he was beginning to develop an insatiable taste for it.

It was starting already...the change!

The moon was full.

He voraciously licked his _fangs._

In a matter of minutes, he would be totally and hideously transformed.

00000000000000000000

Dr. Lotorious was now packed and ready to leave the marketplace. He and his partners were many steps ahead of the authorities, although it had literally taken them all day to get situated to be on their journey to the next village or township. All of his luggage and his friends' belongings, along with their tent and the stage they used, was securely on board their sturdy horse drawn carriage.

As the doctor casually walked out to meet the men who were a part of his shameless show of deception, a woman leaped out at him from the shadows of the night and ambushed him with a razor sharp dagger in hand! She firmly held the pointy blade to the terrified man's chin. The doctor shook in extreme fear! He stared into his attacker's wild eyes as she hissed, "Your damned _Miracle Elixir_ killed my sick brother, you fiend!"

00000000000000000000

That night, Annabella and Alyssa, patiently waited for the rest of the household to be settled into a deep sleep, before they sneaked out of the cottage to go and celebrate their good fortune all night long, with bouts of drinking and carousing at the _Wild Boar Inn._

"Let us hurry, sister!" Annabella whispered. "We must not keep all of those drunken men waiting!"

Alyssa blushed and giggled in response to what her sister said. "Oh, Annie, I just can't wait to be "handled" by the whole lot of them, if you know what I mean!" She giggled once again, this time, a bit more loudly.

"Ssssssshhhh! Someone is bound to hear you! And don't let Father hear you talk like that either!" Annabella pointedly warned her as they both tiptoed through the dark sitting room towards the front door. Those horrible wood floors creaked with every step they took! How annoying!

"Are you sure we will be safe tonight, walking through the forest?" Alyssa was a bit apprehensive now. "There is a full moon out tonight, and the villagers are talking about the ...the... _monster_..." Annabella rolled her eyes and angrily cut her off, whispering harshly to her little sister.

"Stop scaring yourself! We will be just fine walking through the forest. A full moon means nothing, and the villagers are silly and very superstitious! And for the last time, there is no monster lurking about!"

And that was that.

But Annabella's cold reassurance did very little, if nothing, for that matter, to reassure poor Alyssa! She meekly followed her big sister outside into the cool and breezy, eerie night, and pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders. She shivered both from the wind and from fear as they headed in the direction of the thick, dark ominous forest, toward the _Wild Boar Inn_.


	10. Chapter 10

An extremely irate woman, dangerously wielded a large knife inches away from Dr. Lotorious' terrified, bearded face. In all the crazed commotion she wildly exhibited, she eventually came to aim the pointy blade at his fiercely racing heart. "You killed my brother! You killed my brother!" She screamed with great frenzy, at the top of her lungs with the sole intention for all the world to hear.

The distraught tone in her voice resounded sharply into the night. Her violent yelling caused the doctor to nervously cringe more than anything else. A small part of him was very relieved that this maddening scene was taking place under the thick veil of darkness. Thankfully, there were no onlookers around to witness this horrifying scene. The marketplace was completely deserted, void of all bustling activity.

Even the plump, white feathered chickens which casually strutted about people's busy feet while they shopped, and the smelly, stray dogs that regularly loitered in that marketplace, had been long since gone. Nothing stirred but the eerie breeze and some tumbleweed drifting here and there. Not a soul was around for miles, except for the doctor and his men...and this sinister, wailing creature.

Lotorious swallowed hard as the threatening blade glistened in the light of a full moon. He kept his piercing eyes firmly fixed more so on the darting weapon, than on the lunatic clutching it. It wasn't long before he broke out into an anxious sweat, uncertain of whether or not this might be his last night on earth. Tiny beads of moisture instantly appeared on his forehead and soon trickled down his shaggy, graying temples.

 _Ugh...yet another unsatisfied customer!_ He thought warily, yet impishly to himself. Something inside of him found this crazy woman currently enveloped in the vile act of swearing at him, surprisingly amusing. Perhaps it was her disheveled blonde hair, or her wild, bulging eyes that made him strangely chuckle inwardly and think of a blow fish. He was about to snicker at the thought of it, when he abruptly remembered that he should be very...very afraid.

"Your disgusting Miracle Elixir is no miracle at all, but pure poison!" She hissed at him with great disdain and intense loathing. She eyed him scornfully like he was filth under her shoes.

Dr. Lotorious could readily sense tremendous fear rising up rapidly in his small chest. In a flimsy attempt to try to defend himself, he desperately held up both hands to protect his face and throat and strongly implored the uncontrollable woman to calm down. "Please...please Madame, please be still and tell me what has happened!" He strongly pleaded.

"Your damned Miracle Elixir is what happened!" She spat. "My brother drank it to cure his bad cold and it killed him! _It killed him!_ " She strongly emphasized.

" I took the remaining contents to a _real doctor_ who thoroughly examined it, and he said the results showed it was indeed poison!" She roared at him like a hungry lioness. "You're traveling from town to town selling death! You're no doctor, but a murderer!"

"Sssshhh!" Lotorious snapped, looking madly about him to make sure no one was hiding out somewhere, secretly listening to her crazy outbursts and malicious accusations.

The grief stricken woman suddenly began crying. She slowly lifted the dagger high above her head, then swiftly brought it down, intending for it to land successfully on its target, his heart. The two men who worked with him had come running to his aid just then.

But Doctor Lotorious moved like lightening and managed to grab the woman's wrist to roughly shake the knife from her hand before she could succeed with her vengeful deed. The deadly weapon fell to the ground and slid several yards away from where they both stood, making a loud clang as it hit the side of a huge wagon wheel which had been leaning up against a concession stand.

The look of utter panic was instantly transferred from Lotorious' face, onto the woman's anguished features. The poor lady's eyes grew wide. She suddenly turned deathly pale when the doctor put his strong hands around her thin neck. She gasped for air as she frightfully realized the end was near for her. She stared into his icy, murderous eyes as he spoke kindly, and even _sweetly_ to her!

"Ah..." Lotorious smiled wickedly into her face. "What an interesting turn of events!" He beamed, revealing his pearly teeth, feeling particularly proud of himself for apprehending her. The woman whimpered pathetically as hot tears began streaming down her cheeks. "Ple...please, don't...don't kill...kill me!" She managed to utter those few words as the firm grip he had on her neck tightened some more.

"Aww...you want me to let you live?" He cooed, delightfully teasing her. She nodded "Yes," with all the effort she could possibly manage.

"Now where's the _fun_ in that?" Lotorious held the soft, even tone in his voice.

"Besides, we can't have you exposing me to the public _and_ to the authorities too, can we?"

He snickered soundlessly. The woman whimpered once more as even more tears flowed down her cheeks.

"After all, a man has got to make a living, and that is what I do by selling my Miracle Elixir!"

Her whole body then began to shake. By this time, the taller man and the 3 foot man were now where the doctor and the woman stood. Dr. Lotorious loosened his grip a little on her neck and brought his face closer to hers, where their foreheads ended up touching.

"Now, repeat after me sweetheart," He gently instructed her.

"Dr. Lotorious' Miracle Elixir is _not_ poison."

The woman hesitated to repeat after him so he squeezed her neck, causing her face to turn beet red in the process. "Say it!" He hotly demanded.

She _knew_ he was deathly serious. So she quickly obeyed, with no more stalling.

"Doc...doctor Lotorious' Miracle Elixir... is...is.. _not_ poison." She gasped.

"It is good for me!" He continued softly, yet menacingly.

"It...it is good for...for me." She nearly choked.

He kept his forehead rigidly touching hers. Then he ordered the 3 foot man to remove a spare bottle of the elixir from his jacket pocket and hand the container over to the taller man.

The taller man took the vessel from the 3 foot man. Then Dr. Lotorious ordered him to remove the lid. The doctor then whispered ominously to the woman with an evil twinkle in his eye.

"Open wide, Madame."

The woman's thin frame shook more violently. She was bawling like a baby now. "Please..please..don't kill me! I'm...I'm so...sorry I tri...tried to st...stab you!" She spoke between bitter sobs.

"Open wide and say,...Ah!" The doctor totally ignored her desperate pleading.

Dr. Lotorious gradually moved his face away from the woman and instructed the taller man to pour the elixir into the woman's mouth. Lotorious tilted her head back. He still kept his hands on her neck, but had released the tightness of his grip so that she could be able to swallow the pink liquid.

The taller man hovered over her face ready to do as the doctor told him. The woman began to wildly squirm her way out of Lotorious' mighty clutches. She let out a shrilling scream that was so loud, the doctor was certain she was heard in the next town.

"Don't make this harder for yourself. Open your mouth wide or I'll break your neck!" He sneered.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She shrieked in one last effort to implore him.

The expression of terror in her eyes touched him, then. He felt sorry for her now.

Then Lotorious quickly removed his hands from around her neck and told the taller man to leave her alone. The woman then fell limply to the ground on her knees in exhaustion. A great sigh of relief escaped her lips as she grabbed hold of the doctor's legs and hugged them tightly.

She then raised her swollen, blood shot eyes to his smiling face and uttered, sounding like a naughty child, "I'm sorry, uncle. I don't know what came over me."

The doctor reached down to lovingly stroke her wild hair.

"It's quite alright Vanessa, my dear." The doctor never changed his soft soothing tone with her.

"Then you forgive me?" Vanessa was overjoyed when he nodded "yes" to her question.

"But Vanessa," Lotorious firmly added, "You _do_ understand your brother _had_ to die."

"Yes uncle," She readily responded to him, her voice sounding very hoarse. "Michael was going to tell on you, uncle, and we couldn't have that!"

"That's right sweetheart. So, I had you poison him with the Miracle Elixir. He gave me no choice."

"But you tricked me uncle! You told me it would be good for him and would cure his cold!"

"I couldn't tell you my true intentions, sweetheart, otherwise, you never would have obeyed me to give him the elixir." He explained.

"I understand it all better now." Vanessa replied, feeling very ashamed of herself.

"I hope so Vanessa." Lotorious responded sharply.

"And Vanessa, do you realize how close you _yourself_ came to dying tonight?"

"Yes, uncle."

"You made me very upset! I don't like calling you "Madame," but that's what I call you when I'm very angry with you."

"I'll be good from now on uncle."

"Splendid! Now let's all make haste and get to the wagon! We almost left you behind this time! What would we do without you, Vanessa? I would have had to find another pick-pocket if we accidently left you here! You know how we do business. The men and I keep the crowds distracted by selling the elixir, while you creep around pick pocketing those who seem skeptical about purchasing our product!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry uncle. I'll be good from now on...I promise! But I just couldn't resist the urge to go find a knife to stab you with!" She stated this macabre sentence rather casually, smiling coyly, as she rose to her feet.

Lotorious helped her up to where she was now standing face to face with him again. Then he affectionately kissed her tear stained cheeks.

"You naughty rascal, you! You have so much gumption! I love you!" The twisted doctor genuinely beamed with pride that his niece had the courage to avenge her brother's death by going up against him, her murderous uncle, of all people!

"I love you too uncle."

Then Lotorious, his niece, the tall man and the 3 foot man all walked briskly over to their waiting horse drawn carriage to quickly travel into the next town.

00000000000000000000

Andrea lay wide awake on her bed of many pillows, staring pensively into the darkness after blowing out the candles on the small table next to her bed. She had been alert for a few hours now, unable to sleep after the day's excitement over the news of her father's ship. This was undoubtedly a wonderful turn of events! What a great miracle!

Madame Dorothea in her off centered wisdom _was_ right after all. Andrea recalled the old woman once saying that miracles are things which happen when one is not quite expecting them. A person could be going about the mundane business of their daily lives and then suddenly, everything changes to the spectacular, in the wink of an eye!

How wondrous it might be to be wealthy, she pondered intensely. The young Andrea found herself having a difficult time trying to wrap her mind around what that might actually be like. Fancy clothes, jewelry, furs, carriages pulled by white horses, majestic mansions and not to mention, an endless multitude of suitors, never truly interested her like they did Annabella and Alyssa. Her sisters would undoubtedly _kill_ to possess such futile things!

Surely, Andrea was altogether different from them!

She had a deeper yearning for the more wholesome things in life. Surely, there had to be more to the human existence than trivial material belongings and shallow relationships with men which never really lasted, anyhow. No. She was _special_. And the man she would ultimately be with, if he indeed existed, would be special too. He had to see past her deformity and love the _real_ her. There was so much more to her than just a marred face, and it would take an unusual kind of man to fit that description!

Andrea had so much love in heart to pour out toward the right person. But she feared she would never have the courage again to leave the house and mingle among people, even if her face was partially covered by a scarf every time she ventured out of doors. It was beginning to look like true love would inevitably elude her.

Many times, she tried to pretend it didn't hurt when handsome men her age caught a glimpse of her and scowled at her in utter scorn.

She would walk past them with head held high to reveal to them that she still had a sense of pride and confidence in herself, and their disdain meant absolutely nothing to her. But as was often the case, she would return to the privacy of her room and break down into bitter tears at her plight.

In moments such as those, she refused to be comforted by a concerned Freddy or by her distraught father.

But she needed a good cry. It was therapy for her. It was like medicine which lulled her to sleep once she was done feeling sorry for herself. Then she would later emerge from her bed chamber, feeling fresh and new the next morning, with a little more strength to face the challenges of the day.

She would imagine looking upon her taunters in triumph and convince herself that she did not need them to define who she was. She was her own person. Strong and resilient. She did not need a man to _"complete her"_ as the popular saying went.

She was Andrea Beaumont for goodness sakes! Independent, head strong, intelligent, vibrant, curious, insightful, wise, patient, loving, giving, nurturing, kind, etcetera...and of course, _beautiful on the inside_ where beauty mattered most!

Yes indeed, she was _more_ than a conqueror! That is, until some fiend came along to crush her fragile spirits, despising her strange face, and causing her tears to flow all over again. She would repeat the process of crying all night long, then falling into a death-like sleep.

Then once more, the vicious cycle would resume, with her emerging emotionally stronger the next morning from her bedroom, which seemed to double as some type of enchanted infirmary.

It was where she always went whenever she felt broken. It was where she went to be ultimately repaired. The peaceful fortress those four walls provided her, was all she needed to ease her troubled mind and fractured heart.

She knew full well that she would never learn to be content with riches that would not even remotely satisfy her. Money could do lots of things. But it could _never_ take away the pain of rejection. And she needed that pain to go away. She needed that pain to _stay away!_

Be that as it may, she was already mentally prepared to be resigned to living a lonely life as a well-to-do spinster, perhaps continuing to use the cottage or a brand new mansion as a safe haven to hide away from a harsh world which had absolutely nothing to offer her but cruelty.

The sudden discovery of her father's lost ship could be the very blessing she had been waiting for all along!

Having money could definitely help her remain hidden away from people forever! Especially from men!

She was still very young anyway, when her father lost his vast fortune, so their high life had been all a blur to her. All she ever really knew was her present condition of extreme poverty. How could one miss what one barely remembered?

To be sure, this merchant's daughter associated having an abundance of books and possessing wisdom as the _truer_ riches in life. And she believed everyone should desire such things too.

Speaking of books, she remembered her beloved faerie book given to her by her dear brother.

Andrea quickly rolled onto her side after laying flat on her back for hours staring at the ceiling in her bedroom. The illuminating glow of the full moon shined brightly now, in through the lace curtains of her small window. The moonlight rested on the faerie book which sat on the table near her bed. She sat up and reached eagerly for it. It was rich with colorful and attractive illustrations of things connected with royalty, love and living happily ever after.

There was no need for her to light a candle since the moonlight was more than sufficient. Besides, she had a strange love of being in the dark. Again, it was all about _hiding._

As Andrea slowly thumbed through the nearly worn and yellowing pages, she smiled dreamily to herself as she imagined being the main character of the princess, as was her constant habit. She must have read this wonderful book a thousand times, and yet, never grew tired of it.

Each time she re-visited it, she would discover something new in its pages that she did not notice before or grasp in the multiple times she read it. This was a true classic and one that she honestly believed she would treasure for years to come!

When she was done reading for the night, she gently closed the book and ran her long, shapely fingers along its surface, greatly admiring the picture of the princess on the cover, and sadly whispering the book's title to herself. _The Princess Who Loved Forever_ was its title. Andrea was mesmerized by this enchanting read. She closed her eyes, took in a deep breath, then whispered the title of the book again.

It seemed like only minutes or even days ago that she had sworn off love. However, upon delving deeply into the mysterious story contained here, she found herself magically having a change of heart.

This book made her _want to be in love_ , which went against her defiant wishes.

Like magic, it instantly changed her mind...softened her outlook and gave her a warm feeling inside.

But somehow, she discovered that if she had not touched the book for days on end, she would soon return to her rigid stance in never wanting to be romantically involved with anyone.

It wasn't until that very moment of weakness, she found herself almost unintentionally fantasizing about finding true love.

 _That's what I want_. She whispered longingly.

 _Like Princess Catherine, I want to love forever_!

Then she thought she would pray to meet the right man to love forever.

When she opened her eyes, she declared, "I believe I would meet someone to love forever!"

Her green eyes suddenly fell on a piece of charcoal, another item Freddy _stole_ for her as a gift, this time, it came from the market place. Another one of Andrea's many talents was drawing and she enjoyed sketching pictures using a stick of charcoal. She was a very good artist, and kept a drawing tablet under her bed.

Nestled within its cream colored pages, were likenesses of things such as fruit, landscapes and people; her father and Freddy, in particular. There were other curious creations of hideously ugly witches and sorceresses who greatly resembled Annabella and Alyssa. Andrea even sketched pictures of them actually being joined at the hip! The thought of this always brought a wicked, yet satisfying grin to her face.

Andrea reached for the piece of charcoal which had fallen on the floor earlier. She then opened to the first page of the book in her lap and instantly had an idea. To identify more with this character, she lightly shaded the left side of the princess' face with the black charcoal.

She only did so on the first page, since she didn't have the heart to go through the entire book doing the same thing to all the other drawings of the princess' beautiful features. She then lazily closed the book, laid it on the table along with the charcoal, and casually wiped the soot from her fingers with some cloth.

Andrea then stretched and stood up. She stared at the full moon forlornly and whispered, _"I know you're out there...the man I will love forever. I will meet you because I prayed for you...I wished for you."_

What she did not notice in that instance, since she kept her back turned away from her room while she gazed hypnotically at the moon outside her window, was that the strange mirror her father bought for her as a gift from the Netherlands, had a faint and curious light beginning to shine outwardly from it. This large mirror with the spider web crack in its upper right corner, seemed to be slowly coming to life on its own!

Following this strange occurrence, there came an odd sound like the tinkling of tiny bells.

Then, suddenly a soft voice whispered behind her, _"Wishes come true,... they'll come true for you!"_

An alarmed Andrea immediately spun around in a flash to look frightfully behind her. She peered sharply into the darkness, closely surveying the objects in her darkened bedchamber. But try as she did, she saw nothing out of the ordinary and heard nothing else, but a mouse scurrying across the old wood floors. But Andrea was not yet ready to dismiss what she thought she heard as a mere figment of her imagination.

She stood very still where she was, petrified in terror, for what seemed like a very long time, keenly watching and listening carefully for anything peculiar, hiding in the darkness. When she was finally content at believing it was in fact her vivid imagination, she decided to retire to bed once her heart stopped racing. She shrugged it all off and slid under the warmth of her cozy covers, still cautiously peering about the moonlit room.

At length, her eyes fell on yet another thing.

Why hadn't she noticed it before?

The moonlight had been shining brightly all along on this pink bottle containing the 'Miracle Elixir.

Then she remembered.

She promised Freddy that she would drink some of it before she went to bed. This liquid, he told her was a sound investment he made in her to cure the massive scar on her face.

At first, she was angry with him for wasting money on what might later prove to be yet another ineffective potion. But, no matter, father would soon recover his last ship. The family was practically a day away from being wealthy once again, anyway.

But this potion _had_ to work since he purchased it from a _doctor_. This was all the more reason for her to trust that the strange elixir would cure her.

Besides, it was the thought that counted. Her brother loved her and wanted her to stop agonizing over her features and be happy, already!

He told her the elixir was also bought for their father. But since Ferdinand seemed like an entirely brand new person, and seemed cured of the drink, Freddy decided to give the entire bottle to her instead.

 _Now, what were Freddy's instructions?_ She tried recalling what he told her earlier.

 _I can either rub it on to the affected area, or drink it to be cured. I think it would work better if I drank it!_

Upon making her decision, Andrea leaned over and picked up the bottle from where it sat, removed the lid, then slowly raised the vessel to her lips to partake.

00000000000000000000

The full silvery moon hung magnificently aglow in the dark night sky. There was a definite chill in the air as the strong winds coming in from the north blew strongly through the tops of some ancient trees in this enchanted pine forest. Their twisted branches, closely resembling the long, gnarled fingers of an old hag, sharply swayed to and fro in the powerful breeze.

A multitude of leaves also rustled boisterously from the brute force of the blast, which surged unyieldingly through them. It seemed as if every little leaflet clung desperately to its thin, twig-like bough for dear life, in a futile attempt to avoid being ultimately blown off and swept away by the raging gusts.

In a matter of minutes, much of the dark forest's gloomy atmosphere became thickly littered with a confetti of fallen leaves, which briskly circulated in the form of a powerful cyclone, steadily picking up speed. The flurry of leaves lifted inches from the ground, then darted brazenly throughout those deep woods in all directions.

Small, yet vulnerable nocturnal animals like the bush rat and hedgehog, scurried desperately to seek shelter and warmth from nature's blustery onslaught.

The mighty unseen hand of the wind also swept a carpet of green leaves into a stream of tumbling petals, blowing them in scattered directions along the forest floor. Some leaves inevitably ended up drifting down a few rabbit holes here and there, while other leaflets came to finally rest and flutter in the breeze under some fallen timber. While still others, randomly floated in the air to countless places unknown.

Aside from the chilly gusts, this mysterious woodland area, usually calm and still, seemed abuzz tonight with curious activity. Perhaps the full bright moon presently suspended in a lavishly starry sky was to blame.

A caravan of gypsy wagons soon wandered leisurely into the secluded wooded area, riding along the rough dirt paths leading into the forest. Their numerous horse drawn carriages rolled in, one behind the other, casually braving the potential dangers of this mystical grove.

The lanterns hanging on either side of their over crowded wagons which held their families and every material thing they owned...and had stolen, swayed constantly to and fro as the plump horses struggled to pull the weight of the vast wooden structures, which teeter-tottered like ships on the waves of a restless sea. Along the sides of the first carriage leading the procession, was boldly displayed a painted sign in fancy lettering, with an alluring advertisement which read, _The Great Gamboli - Master Fortuneteller._

The Great Gamboli profited well all throughout these superstitious towns and villages, honing his questionable craft as someone highly skilled with the gift of seeing into the future. Many a customer took his predictions to heart and were soon enough parted with their hard earned money.

Whether or not his prophesies came true was indeed no concern of Gamboli's, since he was also known for being a "Great Escape" artist. This additional gift of vanishing which he possessed, came in very handy when folks later came to the realization they had been craftily bamboozled. By the time an angry mob was in full pursuit of this sly charlatan and his gang, Gamboli would be long gone indeed...missing with out a trace!

This was certainly cause for his party of gypsies to break out into joyful song. Their harmonious singing was often accompanied by the merry playing of violins, mandolins and tambourines, as they rode contentedly by.

The only thing to bring their blissful singing to an abrupt halt, was a sudden piercing, and otherworldly type of noise.

Unexpectedly, the frightfully wicked sound of a witch's unnerving cackle, was carried on the wings of the wind throughout the mystical atmosphere of this haunted wooded area.

Presently, a coven of witches were all gathered under a large shady tree, and their leader let out a resounding laugh when it was clear she and her friends would soon have a victim...or _victims_ for some evil ritual they had planned for that night.

They all hoped to have their unfortunate "offering" in their clutches before daybreak. The darkly shrouded figures stood surrounding a bubbling caldron, and steadily chanted mysterious incantations while one of the witches stirred the steamy brew continuously.

The crone's chilling cackling even helped send a band of robbers, intending to use the dense forest as their perfect hideout, fearfully on the run.

Somewhere afar off in the moonlit distance, the silhouetted figure of an owl, perched high on a likewise silhouetted limb of a lofty hollow tree, hooted a solemn warning to many a foolish traveler journeying on foot, to take heed and pick up speed and turn back from whence they came, and to be gone from this lonely and ungodly place!

What business did they have there anyway, and with the stroke of midnight only minutes away!

They desperately needed to be home behind locked doors, under the covers in bed! The reason being, was because this was no ordinary night. And this was _certainly_ no ordinary forest!

On evenings with a full moon, it was the habit of the grave diggers to end their work early and race home from the churchyards before the ghosts of the deceased surfaced from the ground to haunt the place. This was how rumors of fearsome sightings of ghoulish apparitions often got started.

A grave digger would relate a fabricated story to his wife of ghostly figures eerily floating about tombstones, with the sole purpose of entertaining her. These wives in turn, would hastily tell their friends what was told to them by their husbands and soon the tales would spread as _truth_ , to cause a terrible stir in the gullible community. Bone chilling yarns were often spun around many a blazing fireplace in many homes, as a result.

The bells of a clock in the village square rang twelve gongs upon the stroke of midnight. The gongs were so loud, they were heard all the way to the forest.

The dreaded witching hour was now upon the land!

The old adage of _"There are no such things as ghosts,"_ only fell on deaf ears...especially since there had been a few sightings as of late, of a strange and grotesque creature lurking hungrily about in this same black forest, located on the outskirts of town.

Unlike the legion of specters and other supernatural beings believed to be inhabiting those woodlands, _some_ of the townsfolk who were _not_ superstitious, did not doubt in the least that this said creature _actually_ existed!

This was because recently, under the glow of a full moon, someone was found murdered! The horrifying news came the following day, telling of the unspeakable act. The body of some unfortunate individual had been discovered bloodied and horrifically dismembered in those woods, with bits and pieces of their cold flesh savagely strewn all about the forest floor!

In one particular instance, a victim's pale severed head was found lying limply under a tree, with eyes staring wide open into nothingness and mouth agape, as scattered leaves and rich forest soil slowly soaked up the person's blood, which steadily flowed from their severed neck!

No one...unless they descended from a long line of idiots or happened to be a hopeless drunkard, would dear pass through those creepy woods, even in broad daylight for that matter!

No one that is, except for the hunters who were in hot pursuit of this foul beast.

For the idiot, there was the house of a strange woman who " _took in"_ trespassers who had no business lurking about the exterior of her curious tiny house. She lived extremely deep in these woods, and if one happened to stumble upon that odd patch of land, they were either being inquisitive, or had unfortunately lost their way in the forest. In either case, they would find themselves in an undesirable situation because those who entered her queer little home, never emerged from it to see the light of day ever again!

For the hopeless drunkard, there was the vile yet dependable comforts of _The Wild Boar Inn._

The _Wild Boar Inn_ was a stone cottage surrounded by extremely tall pines and tucked deeply away, shrouded by rich green bushes around it, so much so that it was quite easy for one to miss it.

One could easily walk right by it if the sailors, hoodlums and other men of questionable character and backgrounds, were not already in there singing ballads, often with loud, slurred speech. It was quite evident that one had to be insanely in love with alcohol to brave this unpredictable area to party at the _Wild_ _Boar Inn_!

Aside from an abundance of good liquor, these chaps came from far and wide to lounge there because of the types of women who also frequented the little tavern. No respectable female would find herself at this Inn unless she had a certain purpose for being there. And that meant she had a "reputation." And if ever there were two women who had a so-called "reputation," it was the famously unruly Beaumont sisters, Annabella and Alyssa!

The two sisters hurried along the dark and spooky path leading up to the celebrated inn. By this time, the women were clinging to one another for fear, rather than warmth. Now that she was in the very midst of the forest with the bright moon shining down on her, Annabella's brave front dwindled. Every little shadow she imagined she saw crouching behind a tree, seemed to have evil eyes, secretly peering at her, and her likewise terrified sister.

Annabella almost jumped out of her skin when Alyssa stepped on a twig, causing it to snap loudly. The frightened and irritable Annabella had to resist the urge to scold her little sister for scaring her. She did not want to reveal to Alyssa that she was in fact afraid. Annabella liked it when people viewed her as strong-willed, level headed and fearless.

A profoundly different picture of herself was now on display! If only the individuals she _thought_ she fooled could see her now! Her teeth were chattering, her eyes were wide and her heart fainted as stories told to her of a beast hiding away in this very forest, came flooding back to her memory. She was angry with herself for becoming absorbed in these childish fantasies of monsters and ghosts and the like. She had been behaving quite silly, like the gullible Alyssa!

 _Oh, why did I have to come out on this night of a full moon? Why on earth didn't I just remain at home, safe and sound?_ She soon lamented her foolish decision to sneak out of the house.

Then, the "what ifs" suddenly began to plague her troubled mind.

 _What if Alyssa and I are attacked and killed by this so-called beast? What if they discover the remains of our mutilated bodies the next morning? What if we never make it back home safely? I certainly know of two people who would be very happy about that! Frederick and Andrea! Oh, what if... what if ...what if?!_

Annabella tried her best to muster up all the little strength she had left to calm her racing mind. At one point, she had to stop hurrying to just breathe slowly and allow her heart rate to return to normal.

She ultimately suggested that she and Alyssa rest under a thick oak tree. Annabella limply collapsed with her back leaning up against the thick, rough bark, and placed her hand over her heart to get her bearings. Within several minutes, her rapid panting eventually slowed.

As the eerie howling of the wind grew fainter, both women became acutely aware of the other's inhaling and exhaling. They stared with uncertainty into the unsettling darkness with wide eyes. The two women looked all about themselves, anxiously. Somehow, they had the creepy feeling they were being watched.

Alyssa was more conscious of this than her sister, and gratefully thanked her lucky stars that she and Annabella knew their way to _The Wild Boar Inn_ and did not have to wander around the forest in circles, lost, groping around in pitch blackness, unsuccessfully trying to find the path which led there. That is of course, if the moon were not full tonight.

By this time, the raging winds had died down considerably, and every little strange sound that could ever be heard in the woods, was heard! The sudden hoot of an owl sent the two women crashing into a desperately frightened embrace. After remaing absolutely frozen for what seemed like an eternity, Alyssa finally chuckled, when she spoke.

"We are so silly...that was only an owl!"

Annabella laughed in spite of herself, and cursed the nocturnal creature for nearly scaring _her_ half to death! Never mind Alyssa, whom she truly believed was _born_ being afraid, anyway!

When she could stand it no longer, she took Alyssa by the hand and demanded they keep hurrying toward the white stone cottage which housed the Inn. Alyssa did not protest because no one could be more eager than herself to escape a ferocious animal that could be lurking in the bushes. Perhaps the thing had been patiently waiting, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce upon her and Annabella!

It was not long before the women hurried from their resting place to continue on.

Before long, they witnessed a tiny glimmer of light in the distance, shining through the latticed windows of their favorite hang out. Alyssa practically ran ahead to reach the place, leaving Annabella in the dust! The older woman soon caught up with the frightful Alyssa, and reminded the young lady of the old saying, "There is safety in numbers."

"Don't you think it's better that we get there together?," A clearly annoyed Annabella inquired, feverishly grasping Alyssa's arm to slow her to a regular pace.

Just then, they froze.

The sound was unmistakable. It was a low, steady growl coming from behind them.

Too horrified to take yet another step, the sisters held tightly to each other. They did not dare so much as breathe! They just stood in their tracks, stiff as two statues! The air around them was suddenly foul with the distinct odor of a wild animal.

The women's bizarre nightmares were indeed coming true!

They nearly wet themselves in that instance!

When the icy grip of terror in their hearts finally subsided, they decided to take another step. Just _one_ step forward. With such an attempt, came a sharp rustling in the bushes, accompanied by a resounding, "ggggggggrrrrrrr!"

That was all they needed! No one had to tell them twice! Then and there, Annabella and Alyssa _grew_ wings and flew off in the direction of _The Wild Boar Inn_ for their safety!

00000000000000000000

The palace guard who helped seal his Majesty, Prince Victor securely away beneath the castle in the gloomy catacombs, hurried down to the god forsaken dungeon to check on the young prince to see how he had been making out. He steadily carried a tray containing the ruler's supper with him as he walked down what seemed like a never ending, winding stone staircase. The stairs carried the worried guard several miles below, to the dark and moldy hole which housed a few prisoners. The castle's protector planned to make small talk with Victor as he ate, in order to pick the young ruler's brain about why he would allow himself to be locked up in such a hellish place such as this dungeon! The guard could not for the life of him figure out what was going on with his master's strange behavior. The prince had to tell him what was going on! He would demand that Prince Victor disclose this clandestine information to him. He cared too much about the prince to sit by and watch the man suffer!

But as the determined jailer gradually approached Victor's cell, the man shockingly noticed there would be a _slight_ change in plans!

Once the guard had gotten to the specific cell where his master had been imprisoned, to his extreme horror, he found that the thick iron bars had been viciously ripped asunder! The guard turned a deathly shade of white with numbing fear choking him! He nearly dropped the tray he was holding. What in blazes had happened there? Did a ferocious monster with super human strength break the bars and kidnap the prince? Where in all creation was he?!

00000000000000000000

A strange, and unseen force abruptly woke Ferdinand up out of a sound sleep. There was something definitely amiss tonight, and almost intuitively, he knew what it was. He knew he heard the old wood floors of their small cottage creaking. Someone had snuck out of the house and on a full, moonlit night too!

The unsettled patriarch sat up straight in bed and wasted no time in worrying. He easily joined the ranks of the profoundly superstitious when he too, believed with conviction that a full moon meant nothing but bad news. _The witches are all out and about tonight,_ he thought with a chill running down his spine.

And who might find themselves joyfully partaking in all this mischievous action?

Annabella and Alyssa, of course!

His two adventurous daughters went "missing" again. Yes, he knew they were grown women in their twenties, almost at the ripe old age for marriage. His major and pressing concern was for his wayward girls to not be looked upon as "wild" or "easy," and he strongly hoped they would find good husbands too. Not like the so-called undesirables they were so rigidly used to because of stubbornly frequenting _The Wild Boar_ _Inn_! They deserved much better! His constant pleas to them to stay clear of that place, fell on both of their deaf ears. Nothing the old man could ever say would dissuade them from the popular hang out.

Ferdinand kept having horrible visions of his daughters shamelessly throwing themselves around for the vile pleasures of consistently inebriated men. He greatly feared they might marry losers who were addicted to the bottle like himself. The old man's heart sank at the thought of what might potentially be his daughters' futures. He could stand it no longer! His unnerving thoughts caused him to jump out of bed just then, and go nervously knocking at Freddy's bedroom door. He needed his son to do him a great favor and go fetch his sisters and drag them back home!

00000000000000000000

The beautiful dawn with its pink blushing skies was beginning to break, when Annabella and Alyssa enjoyed themselves in the company of strange and familiar men. Some men they never saw before in their lives, and still others, they knew for years. Whatever the case, the girls felt comfortable around these drunkards and adulterers. From time to time, "Joined At the Hip" allowed themselves to be "pawed" while they sat in the laps of many of these perverts.

Even the shady proprietor of this shameful establishment, Mr. Fox, a stout, black bearded man in his late fifties, (who quite lived up to his name, no doubt), took bold liberties with the two loose sisters. The place was considerably merrier and livelier whenever Annabella and Alyssa were around. Mr. Fox loved having them, mostly because they were good for business.

Currently, all the male customers had broken out into song as they waved their glass mugs filled to the brims with ale. They were accompanied by a cheerful chap who played a small accordion.

The little room was aglow with lit candles in every corner, which hung from stone walls. Burning embers from the fireplace lightly floated to the flagstone floors and vanished. The place smelled strongly of beer and roasted chestnuts. Bottom line, it was a significantly cozy and welcoming atmosphere.

The regular customers felt a strong kinship, since they were seeking after the same things–liquor, and the company of prostitutes. Other men came to the inn simply because they needed a break from being henpecked by their surly wives. So the old inn doubled as a sort of hiding place for them.

Annabella and Alyssa were grateful they made it to the inn in one piece. They believed they made a narrow escape and were glad to still be in the land of the living. This good fortune now put them in the mood to listen to some wonderful singing and to engage in some hearty laughter.

After a few raunchy patrons told a slew of vulgar jokes, the whole place then broke into cheerful song.

The men boisterously sang a ballad about a woman who was in love with a man who was a criminal. He used and mistreated her, and he later left her for someone else. One day, she ran into him, drew her pistol and shot him, instantly killing him. This particular ballad was a huge favorite of Annabella's and Alyssa's. They loved how this woman "handled her business!" They both squealed like mice and applauded vigorously at the ballad's conclusion. "Now that's my kind of girl!" Annabella replied to Alyssa.

After the singing, ghost stories were told in hopes of keeping the two women afraid so that they would prolong their stay at the tavern.

Among the many ghost stories told, there included a tale of how the establishment came to be known as _The Wild Boar Inn._ It was named for a vicious beast resembling a wild boar who haunted those parts for years. Many said there were still sightings of this wretched animal that could never be caught and killed by hunters. The scary stories worked, in frightening the two sisters, and they decided to spend the night with two lucky fellows in the inn's upper rooms.

00000000000000000000

Freddy found himself riding a horse, borrowed from a neighbor who lived about a mile away from the stone cottage his family inhabited. There was no way he was going to travel through that infamous forest on foot, to go looking for two women he loathed more than anything!

The early morning was chilly, and he found himself having to pull his long black cloak closer, around his body. The sound of crickets were still filling the air. As Freddy breathed, he could see the vapor coming from his nose and mouth. His teeth chattered. He _loved_ his father. That is why he found himself here in this ungodly place, hunting for his sisters who cared only of themselves. Freddy wanted to put his father's mind at ease around his daughters, and he did just that, by reluctantly agreeing to brave the peculiarities of this strange woodland.

As the horse took him deeper into the forest, by casually strutting along, Freddy thought he heard someone sneeze behind him. He immediately froze and stopped the horse from continuing any further. He sat very still upon the large animal, straining his ears to hear anything more that was out of the ordinary. He kept extremely still. Then, he heard it again. There was another sneeze.

Then, he thought he would try to be brave and cry out, "Who's there?!"

Silence.

"I said, who's there?!"

Suddenly, some bushes near him began rustling, and what emerged from them, gave Freddy quite a shock! His eyes opened wide and his mouth flew open in a mixture of horror and surprise, as he beheld the odd figure standing before him.

The man was void of clothing, and shivered from his nudity. He was filthy and smelly. It seemed as though he had been rolling in dirt and horse droppings. Freddy continued to examine him closely with scorn now, instead of fear. The man's hair was bushy and wild and so were his eyes, and it looked as though streaks of blood were on his knuckles.

The strange creature and Freddy locked eyes for a long time, until the man finally spoke.

"Please..." his voice sounded like a growl at first, then softened.

"Please, can you be so kind as to lend me your cloak? I'm freezing."

The man's breath was just as foul as his appearance!

Freddy hesitated, then figured he would do a good deed for the day. He tore off his cloak and flung it down at the man in disgust. The strange creature hastily wrapped himself in the garment given to him.

"Keep it!" Freddy snapped. Then he signaled for the horse to continue galloping on.

"Wait!"

Freddy breathed a frustrating sigh and signaled the animal to turn back around. Freddy then came to face this revolting hobo once again.

"What more do you want, man?" The anger in his voice was evident.

"Please...please..." It sounded as if the unfortunate soul was desperately begging.

"Would...would you _please_ give me a ride to the...the... castle?" The man struggled to speak since he was practically freezing to death! The cloak barely warmed him.

"The castle!" Freddy exclaimed in great surprise.

"Why, you can't go there, the prince would have you flogged!"

"My...my good man... _I am the prince!_ "


	11. Chapter 11

_Knock!, Knock!, Knock_!

The light rapping on her chamber door made Andrea immediately stop short in bringing the bottle of the hazardous pink elixir to her waiting lips to drink. Aside from the fervent knocking suddenly hindering her, she would have consumed the entire thing already, had it not been for the pungent odor of some peculiar ingredient seemingly mixed into it.

The fumes of the foreign additive nearly drowned out the familiar aroma of the cherries! It was that mystery ingredient which made her considerably curious. It smelled like some sort of harsh chemical. _What in all creation could it be?_ She mused. _This elixir is perhaps a very strong anecdote!_

Her sixth sense was telling her that something was not quite right about the way it smelled.

Maybe the stench of it was a clue to it being a very powerful "medicine." It must be the odor of the anecdote contained in the mysterious little bottle, that gave the pink liquid quite a "kick." It could indeed be the component which successfully cured many people of their nasty ailments.

This matter keenly piqued her interest. Maybe the worst smelling medicines were the ones that worked the best. She was about to dismiss the whole matter altogether, but the budding scientist within her, would not let the idea dwindle away.

Also, being a fine student of chemistry, thanks to Freddy's diligent tutelage, she was very anxious to continue closely examining the contents of the bottle. She was rather intrigued by it, to tell the truth, but could not understand why. The white label on it displayed clearly in black fancy letters, the name of the elixir's manufacturer, a certain _Dr. Anton Lotorious._ Andrea raised an inquisitive eyebrow at the unusual name.

"Lotorious."

She whispered it.

The unique sound of it gave her quite an uncomfortable chill.

But why?

 _I have never heard of anyone with that surname before_.

She could have easily spent the wee hours of the morning relishing in the endless riddles of a mere bottle, but she had to reluctantly put her inquiring thoughts about the matter on hold for the time being. Answering the impatient knocking on her bedroom door was more pressing at the moment.

Andrea made haste in placing the container back on the small table near her bed, where it usually sat. She tightly sealed the lid with a dark scowl. She then lightly rubbed her nose, suddenly feeling a little queasy from the stink which seemed to linger a bit in the air around her.

 _I don't think I will ever be able to stomach this medicine!_

For some strange reason,she feared it might do her more harm than good. But being that it was made by a doctor and that her beloved Freddy bought it to cure her, she ultimately decided to believe the best about the strange elixir, and planned to consume the contents later on when she had a chance.

It was a bitter concoction, no doubt. However, she thought it might be easier to hold her nose as she drank it.

Andrea finally forsook her deep pondering and remembered she had a door to answer. She stretched her arms and legs, yawned, then nimbly jumped from her warm bed to take a few sprightly steps across the room to respond to the persistent knocking. The old wood floors felt incredibly cold under her bare feet and made her shudder. The boards creaked incessantly with every step she took towards the door.

 _Now who could possibly be disturbing me at this hour?_

It greatly irritated her to get up out of her warm, cozy bed; especially since she had purposed to drift back into a lengthy and intense slumber!

 _It's probably just Freddy wanting to know how I might be doing after drinking that horrid thing!_

Her anger subsided a bit when she thought it might be him.

It seemed like everyone had been awake in this house tonight! But Freddy or no Freddy, it was far too early indeed to be up and about disrupting the morning's peace!

She recalled hours ago that she thought she distinctly heard someone stirring in the sitting room. Andrea _knew_ she heard the front door of their cottage squeaking open and then closing back very carefully, as though someone were trying to sneak out. She also believed she knew who that person or... _persons_ were, too.

Clearly, no one was interested in sleeping that night.

 _I wonder if the full moon had anything to do with this?_ Andrea mused.

She was finally upon her chamber door, and hastily flung it open.

"Father!"

The girl was certainly surprised to see him standing there looking dapper in his traveling clothes, complete with the old black hat he used to wear to formals, and his equally black cloak neatly draped around his fragile, old body.

It was not yet four o' clock in the morning, and there the aged merchant stood, lingering mirthfully before her, wide awake, _still_ _remarkably sober_ and desperately eager to leave the house to set out on his long journey.

"I'm so sorry to wake you, sweetheart, but I am off to recover my remaining ship."

He smiled warmly at her.

Andrea could plainly see the joy in his eyes. And the joy was _real_. The eyes could not lie. They always revealed what was secretly hidden in a person's soul, even when that person, tried hard to hide their true feelings.

She intuitively knew that in that rare and special moment, her father felt true self worth. A broken man no longer stood before her like in years past, but a man who was _finally_ full of hope. He seemed to stand up straighter with an aura of confidence about him.

In that wonderful and magical instance, Andrea could undoubtedly sense that her father believed he could conquer any difficulties he might face without the tempting aid of _the drink!_

He had a ship officially recovered! Yes, only _one_ ship among the countless vessels he used to own. But _one_ was certainly better than _none_. He beamed with intensity at his darling daughter. His dark blue eyes twinkled brightly like shimmering diamonds set against a midnight sky. Ferdinand Beaumont now believed he had a purpose...a real reason to live!

Now he felt he could give his little girl, who rarely gave him any trouble, by the way, all that her little heart desired. How long she had waited to witness that beautiful expression of contentment and grace in her father's face again. It truly had been ages!

His bliss was what she wanted for him for a very long time, more than any materialistic thing he could give her.

Andrea wanted to remember her beloved father like this forever. She stood there, genuinely mesmerized, happily taking in every detail of his clothing and the way he smelled. The fresh, familiar scent of floral soap, as opposed to the harsh stench of whiskey, floated nicely off of him. What a refreshing change! And of course, that smile...that wonderful, radiant smile!

It was that smile, which warmed her heart, considerably.

It filled her with supreme delight.

Andrea suddenly felt hot tears fighting to creep up behind her eyes.

She understood now, that he had been feeling like less of a man because he could no longer provide for his family.

But today, on this glorious day, all of that was about to change! He would no longer be a nobody.

After a few minutes, Ferdinand spoke once more.

"I just wanted to remind you sweetheart, that you will be home alone for a while. Your sisters crept out of the house in the middle of the night to _The Wild Boar Inn_ ,...I am certain of it. So, I sent your brother to go fetch them." He explained.

"I will be fine here all alone." Surely, this was not the first time she stayed in the cottage all by her lonesome. There were times when Freddy went off to find work, or found employment as a tutor, which kept him away for much of the day. And her sisters would go into the marketplace to perhaps sell Lilah's eggs, and if there were no male buyers in particular, Andrea imagined them resorting to selling their _bodily_ "goods."

Then her father would sometimes go hunting for his own drink if Freddy was too busy, or just flat out refused to supply him with any more liquor. This was how she often found herself home alone.

"Don't worry about me Father." Andrea gently reassured him. He then felt calm inside when she squeezed his hand to signal that she was brave.

How Ferdinand adored his youngest daughter. Andrea was everything a father could ever dream of wanting in a child. Her selflessness filled him with awe. How supremely grateful he was that her two older sisters' blatant selfishness and vulgarity did not rub off on her!

He had a strong desire to show her how much she meant to him and how much he appreciated her as his daughter.

"Please, my dear, let me bring you back something special from my journey." He implored her. Andrea deserved the world and he certainly believed that in that brief moment, he was able to give it to her. He had a really good feeling about this ship he was about to examine.

"Your safe return is all I ask for Father."

Ferdinand refused to accept that as all she really wanted. Instead, he decided to press her until she gave in.

"Oh, come now, Princess, surely, there must be _something_ you desire!"

Andrea loved his pet name for her. It made her think of _Princess Catherine_ from her fearie book.

" _Nothing_ Father."

Her answer made him chuckle at the contrast between herself and her sisters.

"If I had asked Annabella or Alyssa this same question, they would have shamelessly given me a list a mile long with dresses and jewelry on it!"

Sensing in her father's demeanor that he greatly wanted to bring her home something, Andrea finally surrendered. "Oh, alright Papa," she sighed.

"Bring me back...a rose. A single _red rose_." She emphasized.

Ferdinand thought this to be a very odd request. But he didn't argue, simply because he thought he didn't have enough time. And if the truth were told, Andrea would win that argument. She would have her way, anyhow!

"So be it, sweetheart. Your wish is my command."

Andrea was happy to have her wish honored by him.

"I must be going now. Keep the front door locked, and do not let anyone in here! Your sisters and Freddy have their keys, I would imagine."

He continued with his instructions.

"Remain quiet and just pretend you are not home...that is, if any strangers come knocking. Be careful, since we are literally out in the middle of nowhere. This cottage is the only house around for miles. Also, it is almost daybreak and wicked witches are still lurking about. And beware of what the villagers call, _The Beast!_ That thing is still rampantly running around on the loose!"

Andrea chuckled to herself and marveled at the exhausting superstitions of the old world.

Then she noticed a sudden change in his pleasant demeanor. A dark frown shadowed his face.

He was anxious again.

But not about leaving her alone.

The old grandfather clock in the sitting room suddenly chimed.

Four o' clock.

Ferdinand ached to get a move on... _right now!_

"I must be on my way!" He exclaimed as he looked towards the direction of the chiming.

"So early, Father?" Andrea was confused. As far as she figured, her father didn't have to be at the town's harbor until noon.

"Why, you haven't even had your breakfast yet!" She presently felt a little worry rising up in her chest. Ferdinand sighed impatiently.

"Please Papa, let me fix you something."

"Oh, my dear child, I will be fine." He tried to reassure her with another half-hearted smile. "Besides, it is a very long ride to the town's harbor...about a five hour ride, you might say, and I want to be there in time to meet that ship!"

Andrea impatiently folded her arms across her chest and gave her obstinate father a very stern look. "Mr. Ferdinand Beaumont, you are not leaving this house without eating something!"

They both knew he had more than enough time. But he couldn't wait. His life was about to change for the better, and he could not contain his excitement.

"Young lady," he raised his voice, "My mother died many years ago. I will not tolerate _you_ taking her place!"

"Father, please..." Andrea pouted. "Do this for me?"

"I am _truly_ sorry Princess, but I don't have time for even a cup of tea!"

"Are you _that_ anxious about your ship?" Andrea tried hard, and seemingly in vain to sway him. She was clearly annoyed. "You could collapse from hunger while on the road!"

"Oh, Andrea, please don't give your father a difficult time!" Andrea, being equally stubborn, ignored his pleading and pushed past him as he stood in the doorway of her room. She made a bee line to the kitchen.

"What are you doing?" Ferdinand warily followed behind her. Once his daughter made up her mind about something, it was very difficult to get her to see otherwise. Ferdinand knew better than to continue to protest.

He just stood where he was, motionless, in the middle of the kitchen, only following her with his eyes, and feeling defeated as she quickly went to the cupboards to retrieve a small loaf of cinnamon raisin bread she baked two days ago.

To quickly add to that, she pulled a small stick of butter, a cup of honey and a bottle of milk from various storage places in the kitchen. Ferdinand kept watching her helplessly as she carefully packed all of these items into a brown cloth sack, she quickly pulled from a shelf in their broom closet.

"Take this with you, then!" She declared with authority, throwing the sack into his arms and then lightly kissing his wrinkled cheek.

"This way," she told him pointedly, "I would not have to worry about you fainting!"

Ferdinand knew he was beaten. He could even hear a victorious tone in his beloved daughter's voice because she had ultimately succeeded in making him relent.

Annabella and Alyssa had no such power over him. _Perhaps that is why they hated Andrea so much,_ the old man deeply pondered.

Andrea and Ferdinand stood silently gazing at one another briefly, until something finally dawned on Andrea.

"How are you getting to the town's harbor, Father?"

They obviously did not possess their own transportation, and she _knew_ he was not going to walk!

Ferdinand breathed a deep, frustrating sigh. The young lady standing before him eyeing him quizzically, was far worse than his mother!

"I might as well tell you." He replied quietly. "The gypsies that ride through our neighborhood from time to time will be giving me a lift."

Andrea looked at him with surprise. She raised an eyebrow. "Gypsies?"

Ferdinand nodded in response.

"Do you mean that caravan of fortunetellers who sometimes pass by our house?"

He nodded again.

To his astonishment, Andrea was very happy to hear this, since she had always been greatly intrigued by gypsies and had always desired to have her fortune told.

"Oh, Papa, how exciting!" She happily clapped her hands together and jumped up and down in anticipation of witnessing her father climbing on board one of those wagons to be whisked away to his good fortune that was awaiting him.

"Which caravan Papa, for there are many in these parts."

"The Great Gamboli's caravan."

00000000000000000000

Richard and Charlotte rose early that spring morning to have breakfast together.

Charlotte bluntly insisted on staying the night in one of the many lavishly decorated guest rooms of the Chastain home. Richard believed she invited herself to stay the night, only to try to keep a close eye on him, and not for the reason she adamantly stated, which was her fear of being at home alone, especially on a night of a full moon, while her parents were currently abroad in Italy. Her twin sister Cara, mother of eight year old Herbert, was accompanying their parents on this trip, leaving little Herbert in the care of nannies.

He chuckled to himself, fiendishly mocking her inwardly, because he knew she wanted her actions to appear innocent. But he knew better. She was not fooling him for a second!

Richard understood that Charlotte's main intention was to spy on him. He knew she loved him, _but she did not trust him_. Goodness, if he were a woman, he wouldn't trust _him_ either! But the mere fact that this perfect little creature had no peace at all concerning him, greatly delighted Richard. He enjoyed watching her sweat. How overly possessive she was! How he found this overbearing fault of her's extremely annoying!

Interestingly enough, he never _did anything_ in her presence to make her doubt his love for her in any way. Perhaps it was just her reliable woman's intuition which kept warning her to never let him out of her sight. He was beginning to feel her perfectly manicured fingernails digging deep into his flesh, so to speak, to desperately cling to him, to have him _forever_. He noticed that the thick cloud of her endless smothering which seemed to relentlessly surround him, had been gradually becoming worse as of late.

Maybe she _was_ _able_ to read his mind after all, because _something_ had been definitely occupying it!

Even while they were seated together outside on his veranda enjoying a lovely breakfast complete with blueberry muffins and luscious fruit, Charlotte appeared to sense that Richard's mind was wandering. The sad, far away look in his eyes told on him. As she spoke with him, she could tell she was miserably unsuccessful in holding his interest in what she had been saying to him.

She complimented his mother's taste in the decor and his father's impressive arsenal. She carefully observed on more than one occasion, how Richard's face would habitually light up whenever his parents were edified.

That is of course, whenever someone else were doing the edifying, and not herself. The only response she got from him for her futile attempt, was continued ravenous chewing and steadfast concentration on what he had been eating. He may as well have been dining alone! To him, she didn't even exist!

Charlotte was hurt.

Her eyes darkly took in the lovely atmosphere. She desperately needed to find _something_ to distract her and to help take her mind off of his ignoring her. She could presently feel her tears wanting to flow like an endless gushing waterfall. Why in all of creation did she want to be with him? What on earth did she _remotely_ see in such a callous man?

Her wary eyes drifted back to the pretty scene before her. All about her was awash with beauty.

The white wicker chairs in which they sat, were very stylish. The lovely round table was neatly draped in imported white lace and an attractive centerpiece displaying huge yellow roses, gave the table a vibrant lift.

Shiny silver teacups with matching saucers, a large, gleaming glass pitcher with freshly squeezed orange juice along with orange slices contained within it, gleaming white porcelain bowls holding enormous red strawberries and a crystal bell with a silver handle, conveniently positioned next to her, was there for her to pick up at any time she chose, to ring for a servant.

All of this favorably held her feminine interest and greatly impressed her.

But the brilliant scene only drew a half-hearted, nonchalant response from him, "Yes, it's nice dear."

Her heart sank as he paid more attention to the toast he was wolfing down, rather than to her.

In the sadness of it all, she found herself becoming insanely jealous of a piece of bread!

He barely lifted his eyes to look at her!

"Richard," Charlotte began miserably, "Haven't you heard a thing I've said to you?"

"Yes dear."

He purposefully took a butter knife in hand, and began to spread some grape jam thickly onto another slice of toast. He still did not look over at her. She suppressed a sob while keeping her eyes fixed on every motion he made.

Then, when she felt she could take no more of this blatant dismissal from him, she blurted out a loud declaration.

"I'm _leaving_ you, Richard!"

She wanted to see how he might react to this sudden outburst. It was a test.

His head jerked up like lightening and he looked up at her then! He faced her head on.

Richard's eyes grew as big as the saucers resting on the table before him.

He was about to smile broadly, shamelessly showing off his sparkling white teeth, but then abruptly caught himself. He quickly remembered he had to _put on a show_. He gave her his best impression of "sadness." But his fake performance was far from easy! It took everything he could muster to keep from gleefully springing from his chair to dance around the veranda to celebrate!

He would soon learn in that moment how good his acting skills were.

"You're...you're...le...le..leaving me?" Richard tried to make his voice tremble as if he were near tears. He tried his best to make his eyes tear up, but it just was not happening. He had to settle for a _fake_ appearance of heartbreak to wash across his face.

"Oh, darling, is it true?" He reached out to lightly touch her hand. Good Heavens, how he _prayed_ she wasn't kidding about leaving!

Charlotte immediately softened, and her heart went sick at the pitiful look on her boyfriend's face. She instantly regretted uttering those cutting words to him.

"Sweetheart, it was wrong of me to say such a thing to you!" Tears were rolling down her cheeks now. She dabbed them away with the napkin on her lap.

When he thought she wasn't looking, he rolled his eyes in defeat.

 _Ugh...I should have known better than to believe I would be truly free of her!_

"I would _never_ dream of leaving you!" Charlotte then reached over and hugged him...tightly.

Richard pulled away from her after a while. He needed to escape...he needed to breathe, right now!

"Err...Charlotte, I just remembered, I need to ride by the school to pick up some science material I left in the Headmaster's study." Richard rose nimbly from his chair as he spoke, eager to get out from under her stifling grip. "I shall return later this afternoon."

Charlotte held fast to his arm. "Hurry back, my love. I can't bear being apart from you!"

Richard smiled lopsidedly at her, then bent down to kiss her cheek.

"Oh, and by the way, I put an advertisement in the newspapers requesting a tutor for Herbert." She told him.

Richard nodded his response, then said, "Let's hope you find someone very skilled, Charlotte darling."

With that, he turned on his heels and speedily left the veranda. He practically ran!

Once outside of the family mansion, he heartily breathed in the cool, early morning air as he waited impatiently for one of the servants to bring his horse to him. He fervently rubbed the palms of his hands together and blew his warm breath on them, trying almost in vain to keep the chill off of his body. It was a very misty morning, and more than likely, it was turning out to be a cloudy day. No matter. Richard hoped that if by some chance he happened to encounter that creature of mystery, the one who so supernaturally intrigued him, it would greatly brighten his day and chase away all this gloom.

Oh, how he _ached_ to get to that schoolhouse!

There certainly was no guarantee that she would be there, but good gracious, it wouldn't hurt to wonder...and hope...or even dream.

It wasn't long before he was forcing his steed to gallop on the wings of the wind towards the schoolhouse building. He felt like a prisoner who was finally experiencing his first taste of freedom after long years of incarceration.

 _Good grief, if I feel like this now, I must consider breaking things off with Charlotte once and for all!_

He strongly pondered about coming to terms with the fact that he did not love her, and he believed he would be doing himself a huge favor by ultimately telling her the truth.

But how might she take it? Charlotte did not handle rejection well.

He knew he would be doing himself a great disservice if he were to marry her only because he wanted to make his mother happy.

 _I won't burden myself with that right now. I just want to be where "she" is._

As he rode along, he loved the exhilarating feel of the breeze against his handsome face and enjoyed how it flowed forcefully throughout his silky brown locks.

Frankly, he felt like he was coming down with something, but it wasn't a cold.

Richard _needed_ to be in the vicinity of that school. _She_ might be waiting there for him. _He really wanted to believe that!_ But if she were not, he needed to be there just the same. The mere thought of her and her hypnotic aura drew him there like a giant, unrelenting magnet!

How he _yearned_ to hear her laughter! He strongly needed to spy her peeking at him from her usual hiding place. Even though he did not know her, even though they had never met, he felt an ambiguous, yet wonderful connection to her.

Richard could have cared less about the science material he supposedly went to the school to pick up. But it was _her_...it had _always_ been her. _She_ was _the real reason_...

She was the real reason for his madness!

Once he arrived on the darkened school grounds, he found himself desperately peering intently through the shadows for any vague sign of this girl who unexpectedly won his heart.

 _Won his heart?_

Come to think of it, she _did_ win his heart!

He found himself falling hard for a woman he had never even met. How can that be?

"Woman of mystery, _I need to see you_..." He spoke softly under his breath.

"Why do you hide your _face_ from me?" He was so frustrated.

"Could you have been a mere figment of my imagination?"

"I know I spied you peeking at me a few weeks ago in this very yard..."

"It _couldn't_ have been my imagination."

His horse then snorted.

"Are you here now?" He exhaled to release the growing tension in his chest. "Please say yes!"

Then, all of a sudden, he thought he heard something prowling around and then rustling noises coming from a nearby bush.

Richard's desperate heart leapt joyfully with expectancy as his eyes darted towards the direction of the sound.

 _Perhaps it was only the wind,_ he cautiously thought to himself.

He tried hard not to get his hopes up too high.

The young man sat quite still upon the animal, listening carefully for more movement. Then he heard something again in the same spot.

Richard then signaled his horse to gallop over to that specific area.

Upon cautiously nearing the bush, he bravely called out, "Who's there?"

No answer.

"Is...is that you, fair maiden?" He ventured.

Nothing.

"Please...don't be afraid. Show yourself. I want to see your face."

All that was heard was the constant blowing of the cool morning winds.

I...I..would like to get to know you!"

Still, no answer.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you when I briefly noticed you peeking at me from behind a tree."

Richard was beginning to worry. Perhaps there was no one there, hiding behind the bush after all. But the deep yearning inside of him made him more determined to talk her out from her hiding place.

"I've noticed you on more than one occasion..."

"Although I've never met you...I...I...think I _like_ you... _really like you_."

"I don't quite know what it is about you that has me so enraptured every time I think of you."

His tone of voice was soft now, and strangely caressing. She was torturing him! The longer she remained out of sight, the longer his agony engulfed him.

When he thought he would just give up trying and turn to ride back home, there came another sound of movement from behind that bush.

"I know you're there! I believe you're spying on me right now!" Richard raised his voice. Boldness overtook him now.

"Come out from there now," he demanded, "And show yourself!"

More rustling of leaves was heard.

Then, to his sudden surprise, someone rose up slowly from behind the thick, leafy hedge to come gravely face to face with him.

"Charlotte!"

00000000000000000000

Freddy could not believe how he managed it. Hell, he couldn't believe how he even _survived_ it! The atrocious stench radiating from off of this stranger who thought himself to be Prince Victor, ruler of their small domain, was grossly incredible! The man smelled like a dead animal! Surely, this couldn't have been the charming, heavenly and insanely handsome prince that he heard others speak of!

It took a lot of arguing back and forth for Freddy to finally give in and take this destitute hobo to the castle where the _real_ prince dwelled. Although this vagrant whined and insisted he was the real prince, Freddy refused to acknowledge his pleas, but reluctantly allowed the filthy thing to climb on to the back of the horse. So long as the man found something to hold onto as they rode, and did not try to make any attempt to hold fast to him to steady himself, Freddy thought he would try to endure this horrid ordeal.

Besides, Freddy thought it might be quite fitting for this man to receive a good tongue lashing from the prince for wanting to impersonate his majesty!

 _I must have this poor horse thoroughly washed down once I return home. I simply cannot return this animal to its owner with it reeking of ...of...feces, of all things!_

Freddy angrily pondered this problem to himself.

 _Then, I myself will take a long bath to rid myself of this foul odor!_

The long ride to the castle was indeed, a _long_ one. Neither Freddy nor the stranger spoke during their trip. They had lashed out at one another and had already unloaded all the negative things they had to say to one another. This 'good deed' of Freddy's, was surely putting him far out of his way from staying along the path leading to the infamous, _Wild Boar Inn._

However, since he cared very little, if anything for Annabella _and_ Alyssa, he gladly welcomed this unexpected diversion. His raunchy sisters would put up a passionate fight and resist returning home with him, anyway.

After about a grueling hour, which seemed like a dreadful eternity, Freddy and this man he thought of as a disgusting imposter, arrived at the castle. Surely, this mad man would be mercilessly flogged and later thrown into the prince's dungeon for his trickery!

Just so that he himself would not be subject to such punishment, Freddy planned to drop the man off several yards from the castle's entrance, then gallop away at top speed.

But much to his tremendous surprise, two gentleman which he believed to be the prince's servants, came bolting from the gray stone structure, headed directly towards them. One of them was shouting, "Your Highness!" The other bellowed, "Prince Victor, Prince Victor, are you alright?" The tone of his voice was clearly filled with anxiety.

Almost immediately, the man dismounted and gave strict orders with commanding authority to the two servants. The gentlemen nodded to show that they understood the orders given to them.

"Have this man's horse washed down for him." Freddy was delighted that the "prince" read his mind!

"Yes, Sire!" The servant bowed low.

Then turning to the other, Prince Victor continued, "Draw me a hot bath and prepare a large breakfast for this man." The prince raised his eyes upward to acknowledge Freddy. "This kind gentleman gave me his cloak and a ride here. Be good to him."

Then he said to Freddy, "I will be joining you for breakfast after I get cleaned up. Make yourself at home." And with that, Prince Victor headed toward the entrance of the castle with one of the servants close at his heels.

Freddy was too stunned to even move!

He numbly surveyed the grey building which stood on a hill before him. Had he been dreaming?

The other servant stood near the horse looking up at Freddy and patiently waited for him to dismount, so that he could start leading him inside.

The dumbfounded Freddy observed this wondrous, ancient building with moss stubbornly clinging to the sides of its walls. Its proud turrets were partly shrouded by the morning fog.

But there was no mistake. This _was_ indeed an enormous palace which stood majestically before him, and he truly had been in the presence of an actual prince! Freddy suddenly felt queasy.

00000000000000000000

Freddy's jaw was still locked as he sat at the incredibly long table arrayed with an abundance of food. This was all too much for him to take in. He was clearly overwhelmed! He had so many burning questions to ask this mysterious prince. But first, he helped himself to the delicacies put before him and thanked the servant tending to him for his hospitality. The man said nothing, but bowed slightly to Freddy.

As he ate...like a hungry pig, no doubt, Freddy surveyed the huge dining hall. Lit torches lined the thick stone walls. The latticed windows were wide open to usher in the fresh, crisp air of the dawn. Crystal chandeliers hanging above him, shimmered in the dim light. Fire crackled from a gigantic fireplace. Although the room was spacious, it had a cozy feel.

After about an hour, a tall, deliciously handsome man emerged from an entrance at the far end of the hall. His soft, blonde, wispy, shiny, ear length hair was superbly attractive. His clear blue eyes were like the shade of a cloudless sky. He had a cute little dimple in his chin. His facial features were nicely chiseled and his thin lips appeared pink and soft as a rose's petal. His skin had a soft, golden glow about it.

As this gorgeous creation approached him, Freddy breathed in the pleasant scent of gardenias floating about the man. And oh, dear god...that physique! He wore a white form fitting shirt which attractively outlined the beautiful contours of a ripped upper body. Black, clinging trousers showed off his muscular legs. The man was indeed a magnificent work of fine art!

Freddy's jaw dropped.

Just then, he heard his father, poor dear Ferdinand's voice, loudly echoing throughout the chambers of his mind. "My son, please find yourself a nice girl. Marry her, have many children and make me a proud grandfather!"

Then the man graciously held out his hand to Freddy. "Allow me to formally introduce myself."

He smiled. "I am Prince Victor the Third, ruler of this fair domain."

The men shook hands. Freddy blushed when their hands touched. He felt a tingle go down his spine. "I...I..." He almost lost his voice. He swallowed and tried again.

"I'm Frederick Beaumont."

Prince Victor smiled, revealing beautiful white teeth. The prince was perfection personified! Freddy pleasantly marveled.

His father's voice resounded through his mind once again, making the same fervent plea.

"Find yourself a nice girl, my son...make me a proud grandfather..."

In response to that, Freddy answered to himself, while keeping his eyes firmly fixed on this celestial Adonis standing before him...

 _Sorry to disappoint you Father. But, unfortunately, I don't think that is going to become a reality!_


	12. Chapter 12

Deep in those infamous haunted woods, which stretched far beyond the busy hustle and bustle of the vigorous town situated outside of it, a tiny, isolated house stood secretly nestled away in the shadows of the forest's eerie and gloomy atmosphere. The small patch of land upon which that doomed looking structure sat, was especially dreary, and an air of extreme sadness and dire hopelessness seemed to curiously envelope this lonely and forgotten place.

It was clearly neglected.

The glass on its windows were thickly smeared with dirt and the green paint on its now half dangling shutters was constantly chipping away. The front door was now like dry wood, barely connected to its hinges and seemed like it was waiting to be ultimately taken by the wind. That is, if it didn't crumble into dust first. It was never closed or locked. It kept opening and closing with the breeze, making an ongoing, and literally annoying, banging sound, which oddly did not appear to bother the occupants of the house.

If the front door was prepared to make its own exit, the rest of the house was sturdy.

This strange old abode was purposefully constructed using thick stones. It was built to triumphantly withstand the raging elements of nature's many storms. Although its outer surface had been severely beaten by the constant deluges of summer rains and mercilessly pelted with shards of ice during furious wintery blasts, still, it stood firm. Like its eccentric owner, it had sustained much!

Now after many turbulent years, being a little worse for wear, its wall of stones displayed a dingy grey hue, which was formerly an eggshell white in its hey day.

A once beautiful white picket fence surrounding the house, was now a crumbling structure, black with soot from the crooked chimney a top the house's roof. Some pickets were missing here and there, causing the fence to resemble sharp, decaying teeth.

There was an aura of mystery about the place and one had the chilling notion that all manner of evil doings were happening secretly within its walls. The path leading up to the front door was massively overgrown with bushes displaying brown, dead leaves, and there were thick brambles whose thorns sinisterly reached out to capture a lost or foolishly nosey passerby.

Once upon a time, adorned with incredible beauty, this shameful dwelling was now adorned with the markings of peril and disaster.

Above all, a heavy gray, _enchanted_ mist hung tenaciously over that mystical house. This mist noticeably, did not exist in any other part of the forest for miles. It was simply evident to the casual observer, that something was certainly amiss about that particular location.

Simply put, _it was cursed_.

The house, right down to its decrepit foundation and the worthless land upon which it stood, was all completely cursed!

This was the ancient, and foreboding dwelling in which so many mothers, who were "in the know," adamantly warned their overly inquisitive children to stay clear of. These women kept bringing up the famous story of a brother and sister who wandered about in the forest, losing their way home and happened to come upon that very house, and were never seen or heard from again!

Even blind travelers instinctively knew not to venture on to the path leading toward that frightful domain!

Although silly and outlandish rumors often circulated widely about town, regarding everything from extra marital affairs to ghouls and goblins, and other every day gossip which flowed like a malicious disease throughout those parts, particularly among nosey and idle women, one could be profoundly certain that this rumor of a sinister witch inhabiting that strange little cottage, was very true, indeed!

Her name was Winsome.

She was positively not one to be toyed with, for she had an awful temper. She was touchy...quite sensitive. Perhaps _too_ sensitive for her own good. May the mighty heavens help the unlucky person who ever happened to cross her path while she was in one of her ugly moods!

Unlike Madame Dorothea, Winsome had _real_ _powers_. She became thoroughly skilled in the mysterious realm of black magic and practiced it with a vengeance.

What made this once sweet, bashful humanitarian and former Christian schoolteacher enter into this dark and ominous world of casting spells and resorting to murder in most cases? What made her lose her way?

Ah, the answer to that question, was sadly rooted in _love_.

What a powerful emotion _love_ was!

If one were not quite careful, love, made a person do things they thought they would never even _dream_ of doing. Love made the formerly good natured Winsome, ultimately stumble on to the dark side. But no! It wasn't love, but _heartbreak!_

Once upon a time, a very long time ago, she had been crudely spurned by a lover.

She and that so-called lover of hers, eventually married, and a son was produced out of their doomed union. When the boy turned four years of age, Winsome's husband shattered her heart by having an illicit affair with her best friend.

It wasn't long before the wretched man left her for that shameless hussy, boldly taking with him much of the finances used to keep the family afloat. As the years went by, Winsome did her best to raise her son on her own, who, despite their dire circumstances, matured into a fine, and strong nineteen year old lad.

Life was not easy nor pleasant for mother and son, for they were poverty stricken. Winsome barely made enough as a schoolteacher to support herself and the boy.

Whenever the pain of hunger became too great to bear for just another day, the two would leave their little house in the woods to make the long journey into town on foot, to desperately beg for bread on the crowded streets.

One fateful day, their desperate begging took them from those bustling thoroughfares to the very castle of Prince Victor, located far beyond the outskirts of town.

On that awful day, the woman and her son had zero success in obtaining even a few coins to buy a small cake to share between the two of them. Winsome thought His Majesty would show kindness to her and her son. But she was wrong!

This is when all the trouble began.

This was when the rejected woman turned her sights toward the world of the occult and the evils of the supernatural. Some who knew her story claimed that she sold her very soul to the devil to get back at those who mercilessly injured her.

This horrible event, which took place at Prince Victor's castle, was the defining moment in Winsome's life, in which we would learn more of later in this tale. It was what sadly led her to become an evil enchantress, and the poor prince eventually becoming her unfortunate victim. Oh, if Victor had only known then how much his life was about to change!

Had he only been kinder to the woman and her son, perhaps things would have turned out differently.

But the deep wounds engraved on her fragile heart, callously put there by a philandering husband, were still intensely fresh. So, dismally, the poor prince was not shown the least bit of mercy when an irate Winsome took her fury on what had befallen her, out on the unsuspecting prince.

Since then, the young, handsome ruler had been grippingly plagued with regret and became agonizingly void of peace and contentment, whenever the moon was full.

However, not only did Winsome wield her vicious sword of revenge upon the unfortunate prince, she did not in the least, spare her husband and his lover... _nor...their illegitimate child!_

00000000000000000000

Dr. Lotorious slowly rode his sturdy horse drawn carriage through the next town, being careful to keep his eyes closely peeled for the authorities. Their small party of peddlers rolled into another hamlet at daybreak and the good doctor arrived very early to set up shop. He held tightly to the horses' reigns. His palms were clammy as he surveyed the area for the perfect spot to conduct his illegal business.

Although he tried his best, he just could not take his mind off of the countless and enthusiastic purchasers of his 'Miracle' elixir. Was he now all of a sudden, developing a conscience?

Good grief, he certainly hoped not!

His evil heart was overflowing with too much hatred to be pestered by a nagging conscience, of all things!

But it was _what_ was on his conscience that had been slowly eating away at him. He could not or would not shake this thing from his mind.

Doctor? _Murderer_ was more like it!

Lotorious shook the loathsome thought out of his head and willed himself to focus more on his surroundings. After all, he was a wanted man and he had to remain on the look out for the police. He sighed, rubbed his tired, burning eyes and carefully studied his surroundings once more, paying particular attention to bushes, behind trees and dark alley ways.

As he peered hard into the fading darkness of the dawn, a sinister smile suddenly washed across his bearded face. The smile was triggered by a thought so cruel, that it brought him a hefty amount of fiendish delight. His warped happiness was too strong to suppress, so it manifested itself into a wicked grin.

Dr. Lotorious carefully reflected on those customers who unwittingly bought the poisonous elixir, which was grimly shaping up to be something substantial in molding him into a very wealthy man. This fiendish thought would often override his guilty conscience.

Even if the contents of the numerous bottles he effortlessly peddled had been laced with cyanide, what difference did it make to him if people were dropping like flies? It was _his cure_ for all their ailments, and what better way to be rid of their illnesses, than to put his suffering customers to death? He chuckled mischievously at his darkened reasoning.

 _The authorities will never catch up with me. I'm not going back to that horrible asylum...ever!_

He adamantly purposed in his heart.

The golden morning sun was now beginning to peek through the pink clouds. Soon it would be time for him to wake the slumbering Vanessa, Mr. Rothschild and Mr. Templeton. The doctor scowled grievously at the thought of having to rouse this ridiculous trio of characters, whom he generally looked upon as idle good-for-nothings, which he planned to unload after their up and coming final two peddling schemes.

Lotorious planned to make off with all the ill gotten money one night while the others were doing just that, sleeping. He couldn't wait. Visions of sailing around the world to exciting and exotic, far off places and purchasing a dazzling mansion, kept his hopes up. Ah, to be _finally_ rid of his twisted niece and his two prison mates, Rothschild and Templeton, who served part of a ten year sentence with him, before they all eventually escaped!

The group had to set up camp in an ideal location of the town and they had to be ready for their next successful sales pitch. Dr. Lotorious could not contain his excitement. He was truly looking forward to pulling in a very large profit from this unsuspecting town.

00000000000000000000

Ferdinand was soon happily on board the gypsy caravan of _The Great Gamboli_. He was truly relieved to be finally out of the sharp clutches of his dear Andrea. He knew she loved him and meant well, and had his best interests at heart. He could not have asked for a better daughter.

The old merchant smiled privately to himself as he thought of her. Her loving care of him and her sweet, tender spirit made him feel warm inside.

He was proud of the way he raised her, even though he spent many years as a slave to the bottle. But he had to be honest with himself. If it were not for the assistance of Freddy, who quietly and dutifully picked up his drunken father's slack in raising her, heaven only knows what kind of woman Andrea would have turned out to be! She would have easily turned out to be like her wayward sisters!

Ferdinand was grateful that Freddy was a fiercely determined lad, and did everything in his power to make certain that his precious sister grew into a true lady, a woman of substance and virtue. Oh, how he wished his beloved wife Althea were alive to see how wonderful her scarred daughter turned out. As far as he was concerned, Andrea was beautiful on her outward appearance, as well as within.

The beauty which lived in her heart shined vividly through, and if a person knew her long enough, they would look past that dark side of her face and see, _really_ _see_ the loveliness and splendor of her heart. How he longed for and wished she would one day meet and fall in love with the man of her dreams, and he with her. His daughter deserved to be tremendously happy! The old merchant kept this blessed hope for his Andrea, firmly alive in his heart. He believed that if he never let go of that hope, it would soon become a reality for his darling daughter.

Undoubtedly, he knew it was _too late_ for his other daughters to develop lady-likeness. Ferdinand believed that Annabella and Alyssa needed a maternal figure like his celestial Althea to wisely guide them into womanhood. If those girls still had their mother, he doubted they would be the wild _whor...err...indecent creatures,_ that they were now. Ugh! He shook the horrible "w" word and thought from his head. He could barely think it, much less say it! But, sadly, he _had_ to face facts. That was what they were and everyone who knew them or of them, _knew what they were!_

Ferdinand recalled how his heart would wrench in great embarrassment whenever he went out in public with Annabella and Alyssa. He especially loathed venturing into the busy and crowded marketplace with them. He pretended not to notice the evil and suspicious stares and looks of disdain upon the other women's faces whenever they looked in his direction. As far as they were concerned, he was a drunk and far worse than that, a father of notorious harlots!

But the devilish stares he received from the men were frightfully unbearable! Their wicked grins and sly, "knowing" glances and the winks they gave his girls, sent a message that let the patriarch believe with great certainty, that those scoundrels shamelessly "had their fill" of his daughters! This greatly tore his heart out. The pain was sharp and fierce in his chest. What hurt more than anything were two things.

First, it was Annabella and Alyssa's joy and pride in _who_ they were and _what_ they did. They clearly did not care in the least, if they brought that kind of disgrace upon him as their father. He was a nobody to them, only a common alcoholic. He did not matter. Secondly, it pained him to notice the look of utter contempt in his son's eyes for his loose sisters. There was no love between them and Freddy.

However, Ferdinand knew his son loved his sisters. What Freddy did not love was their terrible personalities. Still, that fact did very little to ease the old man's hurt. He could not allow himself to dare to think that Freddy saw Annabella and Alyssa the same way everyone else did. But, whatever the mouth did not speak, the _body language_ brought the message through, loud and clear! The anger and hatred in Freddy's eyes, was unmistakable. _No...no...it was not anger and_ _hatred_ , the old merchant sadly reflected. _It was deep disappointment_.

A sudden firm and stinging slap on his shoulder suddenly brought Ferdinand out of his musings.

He almost cursed Gamboli when he gazed up into the gypsy's black bearded face. Wild black hair on his head and a wild black mustache to match, boldly met the merchant's startled face. A gold earring worn in Gamboli's left ear, twinkled in the candle light inside the roomy wagon. The band of gypsies had stopped their travels to have a little breakfast before moving on.

"Wake up, old man!" The heavy set, burly, Gamboli bellowed. He must have weighed about three hundred pounds, Ferdinand thought with scorn. His host stood over him with a red sash tied around his enormous waist. His belly shook in the old merchant's face when the gypsy laughed.

"And what do you find so funny, Sir?" Ferdinand asked irritably, his poor shoulder still burning from that sharp slap.

"Your eyes were glazed over, man!" Gamboli responded, his voice booming. He grinned brightly at Ferdinand, revealing a few shiny gold teeth. "Are you hungry, we are about to have breakfast!"

Gamboli had a thick accent and sometimes Ferdinand had trouble making out what the man was saying. The thing which angered the old merchant the most, was how every now and then, Gamboli would speak in his native tongue to his fellow gypsies, and the whole lot of them would glance over at Ferdinand and burst out laughing. How _rude_ a host Gamboli was! But then again, Ferdinand remembered that he should not be surprised by this sort of behavior from them. After all, they _were_ gypsies, he angrily considered.

"All we have to eat right now, sadly, are beans!" Gamboli shouted to him. Couldn't this man speak without letting the entire world hear what he was saying? Ferdinand was sitting right next to him, for goodness sakes, he didn't have to yell! _Turn down the volume, you tub of lard!_ The merchant thought impatiently to himself.

Presently, Ferdinand believed he was irritated because he had not eaten. It had been literally two hours into the journey, when he suddenly remembered the sack of food Andrea lovingly prepared for him. He then pulled it from the hidden folds of his cloak. Gamboli stared down at the old brown sack with eyes brightly shining, when the sack came into view. He nimbly placed his hands on his stout hips and boldly inquired about the small bag. He could feel his mouth beginning to water.

"What have you got there, man?!" The inquisitive gypsy sounded like a growling bear.

When Ferdinand noticed a look of utter greed in the burly man's large, bulging eyes, he felt the need to lie. He knew these people had a reputation for taking things which did not belong to them.

"Oh, it...it's only my medicine." Ferdinand tried to think quickly. "I...I keep coming down with rashes."

His lie seemed to work because a dark frown of disgust immediately came over Gamboli's gruff countenance.

He then turned to the multitude of gypsies in that particular wagon and uttered something again in his native language. This time, Ferdinand received looks from them as though he were a stinking leper.

His lie worked! He felt satisfied.

"Do not eat from this man. There _is_ food in his sack, but he has been cursed by a witch with the rash!" Gamboli desperately warned his friends and family.

A look of surprise washed over Ferdinand's face, which Gamboli clearly read. "Yes, man, I _know_ the delightful smell of buttered cinnamon raisin bread smeared with honey!" Gamboli smirked.

"You did not have to show me what was in the sack."

Ferdinand shook his head slowly as he marveled at Gamboli's accurate guess.

"Why do you think I am so dreadfully fat? It is because I am an expert on food!"

The other gypsies laughed heartily. He then gave Ferdinand a warm smile and signaled for the others to gather up all the cans of beans and head outside to build a camp fire to cook them. He went to follow the rest outside, but stopped short to look back at Ferdinand.

"Besides, I am The Great Gamboli, I know everything!" He chuckled.

"And if you so much as touch any of my friends or family with the curse that is presently upon you, I will kill you, your _three_ daughters and your only son! I will come looking for you, Beaumont!"

A sharp chill of stifling fear,then ran rapidly throughout Ferdinand's frail body! Who in blazes was this man, and how did he know his name and how many children he had? The poor merchant wracked his feeble brain in vain, trying hard to figure out where and when he and Gamboli had crossed paths in the past. It was highly unlikely that they met previously!

The mysterious gypsy's threat greatly sickened him to the point where he had quickly lost his appetite.

Ferdinand's body shook like a reed in the wind as he watched Gamboli leave the wagon.

00000000000000000000

 _Bang! Bang! Bang!_

The pounding on the front door of the cottage woke Andrea out of a sound sleep. She felt awfully tired and went back to bed to get some rest after her father departed on his journey.

She stretched and yawned. Perhaps this pounding was coming from "Joined At the Hip."

Believing this, Andrea thought she would mosey out of bed and stroll to the sitting room to answer the door. Her eyes casually fell on the elixir as she rose from her bed of many pillows, and she felt some nausea as she remembered she had to take the revolting medicine!

 _Oh fiddlesticks, I'll drink it later...that is, if I don't throw up first!"_

Just then, the pounding on the door came louder and longer.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Andrea was about to call out to her "sisters," but suddenly stopped herself, quickly placing a nervous hand over her mouth.

"Open up this door, you wenches!" Came a strange woman's angry voice.

"Yes, you can't hide from us! We have found out where you live from your many lovers in the market place!" Came the screeching voice of another woman.

"We know you've been with our husbands!" Yet still the voice of another angry woman.

"We'll burn this brothel down if you don't open up!" Still, yet another female voice more angry than the one before it!

Good heavens! How many wives were there standing on the other side of that door?

Andrea shivered and feared for her life! She decided to remain in her room and send up an urgent prayer for protection.

The banging and yelling kept getting louder with the women cursing the very day Annabella and Alyssa were born. Just then, Andrea thought she would tip toe to the kitchen and peek out of the side window to get a better look at these women. She carefully moved the soiled lace curtains out of the way and took a glimpse. The bright morning sun was high in the sky by now, and it shined in her eyes.

She squinted hard through the blinding light, and counted five oversized women in all. Each obese shrew carried some sort of "weapon" in her plump hands. Andrea saw that they carried rolling pins and broomsticks. One woman even had a rock!

"Open up this door, harlots!"

"Let's shatter the windows!" One lady shouted, he words thickly dripping with venom.

Andrea then cried and shook uncontrollably in fear now.

Then she heard a loud crash in the sitting room and falling glass.

She sent up another urgent prayer through desperate tears.

Then, a familiar voice behind her uttered, _"Show them your face."_

How cruel a suggestion! Andrea was mortified by this strange and hurtful advice!

But somehow, the voice sounded familiar. It was the same voice she heard earlier in the shadows of her darkened bed chamber. Feeling too terrified of her circumstances to argue, she did as the mysterious voice said to do. She swallowed hard, wiped her tears away on the sleeve of her nightgown, stuck out her chest and went boldly to the front door.

She unlocked it, flung it open and did not have to say a single word. When those irate women's eyes fell upon this odd creature's face, they took off running, falling over each other with their fat rumps swaying behind them with shrilling screams escaping their toothless mouths!

Andrea stood in the doorway, frozen like a corpse, gazing sadly after them, not realizing that the soles of her feet were bleeding.

00000000000000000000

Freddy and the prince sat at the small table where the prince often had his breakfast. From time to time, both men would rise to go over to the larger, longer table a few feet away from them, which held a feast fit for...well, a future king. Freddy was enjoying himself a great deal and kept marveling at the handsome creature sitting across from him. He took a few nervous bites out of a muffin when he mustered up the courage to speak. The sudden and wonderful change in this mysterious man from hobo to prince, truly overwhelmed the already awe struck Freddy.

"Err..." He began to speak hesitantly, not wanting to say anything offensive to the divine prince. He would choose his words carefully. He was tremendously curious as to what His Majesty was doing in the forest, naked and filthy! The whole thing did not make any sense.

Freddy soon found himself staring with hopeless desire at the prince's soft, pink lips. A tempting thought quickly sailed through his boggled mind, but he readily dismissed it. It was not proper. It was impure, and he felt ashamed.

His eyes gradually took in the splendor of the man sitting before him. Never in his life had Freddy beheld anything so incredibly breathtaking. Prince Victor put the golden sunrise to shame. The blushing, dew dropped rose paled in comparison to him! A lovely spring shower never smelled as sweetly as this Adonis did now.

He made Freddy's mouth...water...

Just then, he noticed a look of suspicion immediately come across the prince's face. The ruler seemed to be offended.

"Err...err..." Gosh! Freddy wanted to kick himself. He was beginning to sound like a fool!

He cursed himself for "erring!" _Is that all you can say, you dolt?_ The young man could feel beads of nervous sweat breaking out on his forehead. This was because Victor was examining him very closely now.

"What is wrong with your speech, Frederick?"

The startled Freddy thought the prince's voice sounded like a rush of violins and harps.

 _Control yourself for heaven's sakes, Freddy!_ The lad scolded himself to remain calm, but he could not. He struggled to appear normal. But good grief, Victor's beauty and aura was doing a terrible and serious number on him! The handsomeness of the ruler made Freddy forget about asking him about why he was nude and in the middle of that strange forest all alone, and without the aid or protection of his royal subjects.

Clearly, there was something very fishy about that!

The prince sat across from Freddy, carefully studying the flustered man's blushing face.

"Are you ill, man?" The prince asked directly, with great authority in his voice. "Your face appears to be flushed. You might have the fever from this morning's chill." Victor reasoned.

 _Oh, I have the fever, alright, but it is not from this morning's chill!_ Freddy pondered, feeling like he was about to faint and fall right out of his chair at any moment.

Then, the poor man finally decided that he would try to regain the use of his mouth.

What an effect the prince had on him! He felt like he was going to die right then and there! His flustered heart felt like it was going to pound out of his chest!

What on earth was he feeling toward this divine prince? Why was he feeling so confused around it? He just met the young ruler! Certainly, this couldn't be lo...!

"I...I...am f...f...fine." Freddy struggled.

The prince eyed him quizzically. "Hmmm..." Victor looked sharply at Freddy.

"I think you are lying, Frederick!" The prince declared. "Never lie to royalty!"

"Really, I am fine..your...your...Highness." Freddy swallowed hard.

"Nonsense! You are perspiring too! I shall have my doctor take a good look at you!"

"That...that won't be...be..necessary, Sire." Freddy's voice trembled.

"Please, let me return the kindness you showed me earlier. Besides, I know you must be very tired. You can rest in one of the castle's bed chambers. I shall have one of my servants get a room ready for you."

Freddy could not argue. He was tired. So, he finally gave in and accepted the prince's offer.

It was turning out to be a glorious day for him indeed!

This young ruler did have a certain air of mystery about him, and Freddy wanted to learn more about him.

As one of the servants led Freddy away down a long hallway to a prepared bed chamber, Freddy heard the voices of the prince and another servant, feverishly half whispering.

"Comb the countryside for all the fair maidens, and summon them to my castle for a grand feast." The prince instructed.

"Does this mean you are finally ready to find a wife, your Highness?" The servant had excitement and happiness in his tone.

"Yes, Maxwell, I do believe it is long overdue!"

With that, the prince chuckled, suddenly feeling like he would soon be able to break that disgusting full moon's curse!

"The woman of my dreams is out there somewhere!"

Freddy abruptly felt REALLY _sick_ at what he had just overheard.


	13. Chapter 13

It was not a nightmare. It was actually happening.

His eyes were not playing tricks on him.

Charlotte Wellington clearly stood there before him.

Richard sat stiffly atop his horse's strong back, frozen solid in great surprise. He couldn't breathe, and in that very moment, he could fiercely sense that his anguished heart had stopped beating altogether. Sweat broke out immediately across his brow and trickled slowly down the sides of his temples. He could see the vapor from his uneven breathing, floating forth into the cool morning's damp air.

He was paralyzed.

He couldn't find his voice and he even struggled hard, yet in vain, to part his cracked lips to even utter a single word. But the poor lad was too intensely overcome with shame and gripping fear because he had been found out. He had been caught, and there was nothing he could do but prepare to bear the unrelenting wrath of a woman scorned.

In that brief instance, so many frightening ideas invaded his deeply troubled mind.

Everything from horrific visions of his parents reprimanding him for throwing away his bright future with a girl who would have made a most outstanding wife for him, to Charlotte's parents branding his family as distasteful snobs and placing them in a most unfavorable light in the posh and pompous circles of the society in which the Wellingtons belonged, swirled frantically throughout his psyche.

Richard _knew_ that after this unfortunate incident, his parents would not be able to hold their heads up high among their wealthy peers. Richard's blatant shunning of a woman of tremendous status, and who came from a prominent and powerful clan, no doubt, would be looked upon as a disgraceful slap in the face to the girl's family. Surely, this occurrence would be a devastating blow to the Chastain dynasty's currently distinguished and respectful reputation.

If Richard believed his carefree life would have ended well after he wed Charlotte, his life ended in that very moment, because she caught him in the act of hopelessly yearning for another woman. His secret was out, and there was nothing he could do to remedy the irreversible damage. Charlotte now knew the whole truth, and it was killing him that she knew about it.

How in blazes could he _explain_ himself now?

What could he possibly say to her that would fix this?

It was painfully obvious to him, that he could not go on lying to her.

She heard _everything!_

He _had to come clean_ and tell her the truth about how he really felt about her.

He was terrified.

But, nonetheless, he suddenly found his voice.

When he spoke, it did not sound at all like his own, but the voice of another man's.

"Char...Charlotte...I...I _love_ you!"

Coward!

Indeed, he was too much of a coward to tell her the truth!

But a drowning man would catch at a straw to stay afloat!

He knew he had to chance it in saying "I love you," in hopes that she would disregard what she had heard earlier, and then forgive him.

That was all the hope he had left.

Her forgiveness.

After all, she had always been a pushover for his "love" and undivided attention towards her. Perhaps his becoming more attentive to her, would make all of this chaos go away.

He remained seated, still stiff as a board upon his horse, like a person on trial, waiting to hear what the verdict would be regarding his fate. He fearfully looked down into his fiancee's angelic face, which had been staring stoically back at him. He prayed that she would say something to make him feel like everything was going to be alright and that he had absolutely nothing to worry about.

But she just stood there, very still, staring deep into his eyes.

There was no telling what she might have been thinking, because her face was perfectly expressionless. Her long silence was an unmistakable indication to him, that she indeed heard everything he said to this phantom woman he had been lusting after.

When Richard thought he couldn't stand his girlfriend's unnerving quietness any longer, he dared to speak once more.

This time, he cleared his throat.

"Ehem...Charlotte...are, are you alright?" He uttered sheepishly. He almost wet himself as he waited for a response, _any_ response from her.

Just then, she inhaled deeply, filling her lungs to capacity. Then exhaled, releasing all the built up tension from within her breast.

It seemed as if everything in the atmosphere of the great outdoors went suddenly silent when she finally spoke. The leaves stopped rustling in the trees, the few crickets, still lingering in the dawn of a new day, ceased their chirping and even the wind seemed to all of a sudden stop blowing. It was as if they too were anxiously awaiting her response.

" _You're going to pay for this Richard."_

Her voice was more of a whisper, than an angry utterance.

Richard's face went deathly pale as he gulped down a hefty dose of terror.

He did not like the way that sounded.

Suddenly, she did not appear to be the woman he had known for a good while. He did not recognize her just then. Her eyes appeared dazed and glassy, and her usually creamy cheeks were flushed. Her features remained steadfastly stoic as a single tear trickled down from her right eye, as she stared intently at him.

She was going to make him _pay!_

Richard was very desperate now and he felt that he had to plead his case to her. He had to make her _believe_ and _understand_ that things were still very much okay between them.

He watched her closely as she turned on her heels to walk slowly back into the bushes and then mount her white horse. The animal had been quietly and obediently waiting for her. He did not see the white steed until now. Yet, right then, as she was now sitting on its back, he did notice the horse's red, piercing eyes. _How odd_ , he pondered, and then his eyes casually fell on the deep grass stains on the hem of the beautiful satin dress which she wore.

As she signaled the horse to turn away and start galloping, Richard called after her like his very life depended on it, and it did!

"Please, Charlotte, please forgive me!" He was near tears now. "I love you!"

She only looked at him with an icy glare in her blue eyes, then smiled lopsidedly at him. But then, her expressionless countenance returned.

Then she calmly responded to him through gleaming white teeth.

"I knew it...I've been sensing it for quite some time now, and as it turns out, I had been _right,_ all along."

Her tone was soft and even. But the solid, stoic look never left her beautiful face again after that strange, brief smile she gave him.

It made him shudder.

And with that, she grabbed hold of the reins and quietly signaled her horse to gallop into the darkness, where she disappeared almost instantly, like a mysterious apparition, into the depthless shadows of the early dawn. She left Richard still frozen upon his horse, looking stunned as he watched her go, trying to decipher what her strange words truly meant.

It still was not clear to him whether or not she actually heard all that he had said to his potential "phantom lover."

But the more he mulled over Charlotte's words in his reeling mind, the more he realized that his greatest fears of being found out by his soon to be ex-fiancee, had _finally_ come to pass.

He then abruptly leaned over to one side of his horse and emptied the contents of his stomach, gagging violently as he vomited.

00000000000000000000

"Sire!" The prince's chief guard stomped lively and quickly into the large dining area where the young ruler and his servant Maxwell, were still making plans to issue out a proclamation to bring all young, eligible and beautiful maidens to the castle in order for Victor to choose the perfect bride.

Quite frankly, Victor had been so intensely distracted, that he never really got around to actually putting a plan into motion to break the terrible curse which was upon him. He never stopped having visions of that celestial being who haunted his dreams at night and who had been the primary reason for his pleasant musings during the daylight hours. How he strongly hoped she would be among the countless young women he invited to the grand feast he was scheduling to have a fortnight from now.

 _I'll find you yet, my darling. I shall love you, and you shall love me, and the curse which was cast upon me will finally be broken!_

Victor happily reflected joyfully.

He had not felt this excited in as long as he could remember! He was finally _doing_ _something_ to end his suffering! He had to follow the evil enchantress' instructions to the letter. The love between himself and this mystery woman had to be _real_ _and_ _mutual_. Otherwise, he would be doomed to remain as he was forever! He almost cried at the thought of this horrible possibility. But he had to will himself to stay positive.

 _I will find you yet, dear maiden. And I certainly don't care how long it would take to finally have you in my arms!_

"Your Majesty!"

The chief guard's booming voice jolted him out of his pondering.

"What is it, Lars?" Prince Victor asked him pointedly.

"We need to talk, Sire." There was a hint of concern in Lars' voice. As a matter of fact, there was great concern in it. Lars' eyes darted back and forth from Maxwell's face to the prince's face. He wrung his hands apprehensively.

"What do you have to say to me, man?" The prince boldly inquired. Lars gave Maxwell a quick, nervous glance, then looked back at the prince.

"Your Majesty, I...I was hoping that we could talk in private."

Without hesitation, Prince Victor sent his servant Maxwell on his assignment of issuing a proclamation to all eligible maidens in the kingdom, forests, fields and city to attend his party. Maxwell hurried from the room to fulfill the prince's wishes.

Prince Victor waited until Maxwell left the dining hall to speak.

"What is on your mind Lars?"

"Your Highness, I went to check on you last night down in the dungeon, and I found the bars of the cell you were in, viciously ripped asunder! What in blazes happened there?!"

00000000000000000000

While this was going on, Freddy, who had been shown to a huge and spectacular bed chamber prepared for him by one of the many servants, found himself sneaking out of the vast room and ducking around corners, trying hard to eavesdrop on the strange goings on concerning this curious and mysterious prince.

Freddy felt like he was slowly going insane...yes, insane...with love.

It was never like him to be creeping around in the shadows, secretly listening in on private conversations that were not his business at all.

But he suddenly could not rest. He had no peace, especially in his heart. And he knew why.

Good grief! How could one person be so fascinating, so extraordinary, so intriguing...and so damned _beautiful_?

Freddy sighed sadly.

He knew without a doubt, that he was falling _hard and fast_ , for Prince Victor.

But now, his fragile heart was consistently breaking with every beat it made, and he was on the verge of running off to the royal stables to retrieve the horse he rode in there on, and head homeward. It was the sensible thing to do. But he just _had_ to know what was going on with the object of his most intimate desires.

He was crushed, because any day now, a woman would step into Victor's life to be his wife and they would live, as the fairytales almost always concluded, _"Happily Ever After."_

Then quite abruptly, something rose up in his bosom. It was a question...a quite daring one, in fact.

"Are you just going to sit by on the side lines and watch that happen, or are you going to stop feeling sorry for yourself and _do something_ about it?" Freddy gave this careful thought for a moment. Hmmm...why should he let that Adonis slip easily through his fingers? Even if Victor were not gay like himself, Freddy would live to regret it if he did not at least make a fool of himself in attempting to win this darling ruler's affections.

At the very least, he would one day go to his grave as a very old man knowing that he went after the man he loved and got rejected, rather than never going after the man he loved, period, and just played it safe. How far might he get by just playing it safe, he wondered?

Love involved taking risks. Whenever a person gives their heart to another, they are opening themselves up to the risk of rejection. But so what? It would be better for him to take that risk of getting hurt, than to never have tried at all.

Freddy then decided he would go for it!

00000000000000000000

It was late afternoon when Ferdinand finally reached the pier where his single ship was docked. The Great Gamboli practically threw the old man off of his wagon when they finally reached his destination. The disgusting gypsy even had the gall to ask for ten mites as payment for the old merchant's travel fees, which Ferdinand was enormously _glad_ that he did not have it to give to this shameless swindler. He again reminded Gamboli of his "contagious ailment," the rash, in hopes that Gamboli would be greatly put off by Ferdinand's "diseased" hands touching the money. Without any hesitation, the fortuneteller literally kicked Ferdinand out on to the street after the merchant brought his ailment to light once again. Then the burly gypsy spat at him, with the saliva only missing the feeble old man by inches.

"This is no way to treat a soon to be rich man!" Ferdinand bellowed at Gamboli as he lay helplessly on the dirt road.

Gamboli then made a gesture to indicate to his fellow gypsies that the old man was crazy. They all laughed heartily at him and called the merchant a "Fool" in their native tongue. They all believed he was just an old, broken down and delusional creature if he thought he was going to be rich!

The caravans then rolled off, one behind the other, in a neat and seemingly endless row, carelessly leaving the poor merchant on the ground in a thick cloud of dust brought on from the rough, brisk turning of huge wagon wheels. With great difficulty,and stabbing pain surging throughout his ancient bones, Ferdinand wobbled to his feet from the dusty pavement, and spat the muck out of his mouth and half-heartedly dusted the residue from his beard. He staggered toward the docks where his ship sat waiting for him. It was quite the distance to get there on foot. Gamboli could have dropped him off right at that particular pier, but the gypsy could no longer stand the sight of the old man.

Ferdinand purposed in his heart to never again have anything to do with gypsies and fortunetellers. They were rude and crude thieves and did not deserve anyone's business. And if he ever saw Gamboli again, it would be far too soon!

As he swayed to and fro in what seemed like a drunken gait, the merchant kept his eyes on the ship in the distance which had become a great symbol of hope and long awaiting prosperity and happiness for his despondent family. It was literally, the answer to their prayers!

The closer he got to the docks, the faster his aged heart pounded in eager anticipation of rediscovering the wonderful treasures that were stored in that weather beaten and majestic structure, with its billowing white sails, torn in some places, swaying in the wind.

However, as he neared the desired area, he suddenly felt like something was strangely amiss. Ferdinand could strongly feel the overwhelming despair that was beginning to creep into his heart and then inevitably take over his entire being.

A young sailor escorted the dusty old merchant onto his old ship when Ferdinand finally reached the dock. The sailor instantly frowned at him, telling him that everything of value that was on board the large vessel, had been ruined by that terrible tempest years ago, and there was nothing left inside the ship that could be salvaged.

His greatest mental fears had now become a devastating reality!

As the merchant hesitantly entered his last remaining sea vessel, which had been the faithful object of his livelihood for many years past, the putrid stench of mold and mildew and rot, sharply stung his sensitive nostrils. All around him was mainly debris and water damaged items. There would be nothing valuable to sell. There would be no happiness for the Beaumont household, only the promise of extreme poverty and utter ruin.

The once privileged Beaumonts, who were once the envy of all who knew them, were now destined to eat the bread of shame and lack for the rest of their lives.

Ferdinand suddenly lost his bearings and collapsed to his knees like a limp rag doll onto the ship's murky floor. He then keeled over onto his face and wailed like he had lost one of his children to the grave.

All was lost.

00000000000000000000

Winsome stood in front of a crackling fire, constantly stirring the contents of a black iron kettle.

Every now and then, she tossed some type of herb into the mixture.

She began humming a tune, then words to the song she hummed, eventually followed. A wicked grin came to her lips as she sang.

 _Poor Prince Victor, he will pay._

 _The woman of his dreams won't come his way._

 _I know who she is and where she lives._

 _I put a curse on her too, and he'll say, "What gives?"_

 _He thinks she will be beautiful with style and grace._

 _But won't he be surprised when he sees her face!_

With that, Winsome threw her head back and laughed, loudly cackling and greatly pleased with her malicious little scheme.

00000000000000000000

Meanwhile, a distraught and frazzled Charlotte, paced back and forth in her bedroom, as she was enveloped in dark, concentrated thoughts. Finally, after hours of devising a plan, she suddenly spoke aloud. "I must pay a little visit to that witch who lives deep in that black and haunted forest. I have a job for her to do!"


	14. Chapter 14

Lars and Prince Victor left the large dining hall to enter a small library to speak more privately. Prince Victor feared that many of the other servants and royal attendants who had been constantly bustling about the castle, performing their routine duties and especially preparing for the arrival of the maidens, might mistakenly overhear their intimate conversation. The two men walked casually into the room, and the prince quickly shut, _and locked_ the door behind them.

This way, no _authorized_ nor unauthorized personnel could have the ease of suddenly barging in on their private meeting.

The room they were presently in, was conveniently located at the far end of a seemingly endless hallway, and if one were not a regular resident of the castle, it was easy to walk right by the room, many times, and not even notice it. It was merely hidden in the shadows of what sort of resembled an alcove.

It was the prince's delicious habit to come here on numerous occasions to simply clear his cluttered head and to actually rest from all of the pressing responsibilities and demands related to his rulership. It was incredibly simple for him to sneak off and hide in there whenever things became too hectic, and whenever he saw the urgent need to regroup.

It was _his_ wonderful little haven where he could calm down and get focused once again. Victor often found that the complexities of life which sometimes confused him, became much clearer after he had experienced the stillness of that small space.

While in there, he usually stretched out on a cushiony chaise, sipped imported wine, and had one of the royal violinists come in and play a soft, soothing classical piece to help lull him into a blissful slumber. The celestial aroma of freshly cut flowers, beautifully arranged in crystal vases, had a delightful scent, which floated generously all throughout that peaceful atmosphere. It was a welcoming touch, which divinely and perfectly added to his sense of well-being.

There were also two vast bookshelves which took up the spaces of two entire walls, stretching from floor to ceiling! These shelves were stacked with the prince's most favorite books in the whole wide world. Although there were many grand libraries scattered all throughout the castle, these special works of literature which made it into his exclusive little hideout, were extremely dear to his heart.

They consisted of classics from his happy childhood which he still treasured. Stories of wonder and adventure, swashbuckling pirates and far off lands, never ceased to amaze him as a child. There were also books which satisfied his avid interests in archery, science, war and politics as an adult. These books were like rare diamonds and rubies to the enchanted prince. He loved them so much, that he would allow no one to touch them but himself. They were _his_ "babies."

A simple, careless violation of his wishes would only result in the vile offender receiving twenty flogs sharply across his back!

This rather hidden place was so sacred to the guarded ruler, that he specifically appointed someone to enter into it to light the candles that were strategically situated around the mysterious chamber. Often times at nightfall, this privileged royal subject would ease in quietly, usually incognito, to perform their coveted task. Many an inquisitive soul, ravenously thirsted for this position, just to have a more intimate idea of what made the Mighty Victor tick. This designated occupation would be that person's only purpose in the entire kingdom; to do that one thing and nothing else. Merely come in at dusk and light the candles of that charming little room, making no disturbances whatsoever. Victor was also careful to have said person swear to secrecy. They were never allowed to disclose what they had unintentionally heard while performing their duty.

This meant the monarch had to trust this individual with his life.

But with all particulars aside, Victor _needed_ this chamber.

Since he had no special companion in his life to comfort him, this snug little space did him just fine indeed. It was a godsend. It provided all of his many comforts. In fact, he pitied any ruler who did not have a hideaway such as this one, specifically designed and set apart for themselves in their own castle.

As the two men prepared to get settled, Lars eagerly headed for the armchair and the prince went to get some refreshments at a small bar he had installed in there. The men spoke in hushed tones, even though the area inside was considerably soundproof. Many years ago, the prince had skilled builders construct the walls of that apartment to be thicker than usual.

This was strictly because Victor, being as secretive and as _paranoid_ as he was, foresaw the need to have a place where he could also have private meetings to discuss war strategies, politics, the careful handling of the kingdom's potential enemies, the severe punishment of criminals and numerous things of that nature, with trusted members of his royal cabinet.

Aside from all of this, the prince never once dreamed he would be using this very special haven to discuss something as sensitive and not to mention, _totally off limits_ , as his incredible and terribly habitual, _dreadful_ _transformation!_

How Lars' forwardness irked him! Lars _knew_ Victor had much more important and more _pleasurable_ things on his mind, like preparing to meet a suitable bride to share his life with.

The prince wanted more than anything to put last night's most horrific and truly embarrassing occurrence far behind him. The awful memory of this despicable incident, caused him to blush with shame whenever he recalled it!

Imagine that, he, His Majesty Prince Victor, the dignified heir to the throne and the most prominent and powerful ruler in all the land, had been found stark naked and filthy, running barefoot throughout that mysterious and haunted forest, wreaking of a distinct and terrible odor, as though he were a madman on the loose from the village asylum!

It was a good thing he had been discovered by a lone stranger, thankfully, a good Samaritan, who barely took pity on him, by the way. But nevertheless, transported him back to his castle in safety and secrecy, masterfully avoiding the main roads so that the usual, unwanted fanfare from ogling villagers would not take place.

Victor would always be eternally grateful to Frederick Beaumont. The young man helped save his reputation, indeed!

The prince nimbly wiped some moisture from his forehead with a handkerchief when he thought Lars wasn't looking, while he nervously imagined how the situation could have turned out far worse than it did!

It was a close call!

He could have easily been discovered by the authorities, who would have imprisoned him for indecent exposure, or worse yet, been kidnaped by a coven of witches who might have used his well defined, and _desirable_ body for unspeakable acts!

Whew! It was a good thing Frederick came along when he did!

Victor shuddered greatly at the nagging, and frightful thoughts of his present dilemma. He feared his plight might potentially become common knowledge to the general public.

He desperately willed himself to forget what had occurred. But he knew he owed Lars and Thomas an explanation. This incident was far too peculiar to just slide "under the rug."

Victor wasn't so naive as to think that the two servants who met him at the entrance of the castle earlier, as he was clothed only in Frederick's cloak, would not anxiously run off to gossip to their fellow colleagues about the shameful and surprising state they witnessed their proud prince to be in.

He _knew_ everyone discussed him behind his back. Whether they had flattering things to say or not, he was a popular subject of conversation in many social circles, especially among women. If they couldn't marry him, _they certainly fantasized about bedding him._ Oh, the pressures and migraines that came along with being a _prince!_

Anyhow, later for that. At present, he had the nosey Lars to deal with. Victor wanted to push past this rough patch so that life for him could immediately get back to normal, at least for the moment.

So, he had no choice but to fabricate a story about the torn up prison bars and his strange behavior of lurking about in those woodlands all by his lonesome, and for being curiously unescorted by his royal subjects.

 _Come now Victor, think of something to tell Lars,...and fast!_

Why couldn't some of his most trusted and closest royal subjects mind their own business, especially in this matter?

 _They could overlook THIS matter, Victor, if they had not come upon that most disturbing scene of iron prison bars ripped apart as though they were made from rubber!_ He warily reminded himself.

Why did they have to go checking up on him! Did he not give them strict orders to stay out of the dungeon? Why were people so damned curious about his personal affairs?!

 _It is because you are a prince,_ he reflectively told himself, _And a most handsome and intriguing one at that!_ Clearly, modesty was not one of his strong points!

Ugh, perhaps the inquisitiveness of others was the dear price he had to pay for being a ruler of a large kingdom.

He immediately motioned for Lars to take another seat in one of the plush arm chairs closest to a huge bay window, that was beautifully draped with dark red velvet curtains and trimmed with golden tassels. Victor believed that space would be much more comfortable for the chief guard to lounge in. The area had a warm, cozy feel to it, mostly because a large, lit fireplace, with burning logs was situated in a far corner.

Above this fire crackling hearth, hung an enormous portrait of an imposing _King_ Victor, the prince's deceased father, which was framed in shining gold. The man looked every bit the king, with his strong, stern features and a pronounced jaw that sent a revealing message across to viewers of that portrait, that he was once a ruler who took no nonsense from anyone.

How Victor sorely missed his father and wished he were still around to confide in. Without a doubt, the tortured prince knew he could talk to his beloved parent about this grave situation he found himself in. The elderly patriarch was wonderful with his sage advice and straight forward guidance. The deceased monarch deeply cared for his son and would have helped and protected him at all costs.

King Victor was a stubborn and fierce defender of the two things he loved most while he was alive, family and country.

Had his fearless father known about this evil curse which had been cast upon his only son, and if he were still in the land of the living, the powerful monarch would have that enchanted forest in which that loathsome enchantress dwelled, hastily set ablaze and mercilessly burned to the ground! It would not matter to the livid king if plant or animal life would be ultimately destroyed, just so long as that evil witch perished right along with her wicked spells and devious schemes!

The prince himself, could certainly perform this act of doing away with her by ordering his men to get right on with this extremely tempting undertaking. But, destroying this vicious woman who had the power to break his spell, would only leave him in his undesirable state forever, to be continuously tormented by the incredible force of a full moon and frightfully dreading what always came after!

So, Victor had no choice but to follow the sorceress' strict instructions in order for the curse to be lifted:

 _The woman of his dreams must come to him. He could not go to her. She must have a pure heart and he and she must truly love one another without pretense. She must love him as he is, even in his gruesome and transformed state, and she must not be afraid of him. He must also love her as she is...in her "present state."_

"As she is...in her... _present state_?" The prince did not quite understand exactly what that meant. It sort of _worried_ him. The enchantress never explained that boggling mystery to him. Even when he continuously inquired about it, she refused to disclose the meaning of it all. _Curses to that sister of the devil!_ He spat. He angrily pondered consistently, about how frustrated she made him feel.

Victor knew this witch greatly enjoyed watching him suffer!

All in all, that wicked crone was the one responsible for his plight and she would solely be the person to ultimately free him from it...only if he followed her directions to the letter, that is! So, sadly, his hands were tied regarding his plans to dispose of her.

He reluctantly put orders to have her killed, out of his mind...at least, for now.

Thinking about this terrible mess he got himself into, made Victor suddenly brood.

The solemn prince then strolled over to a small bar arrayed with decorative drinking glasses and several decanters filled with the finest of liquors. He calmly poured himself a brandy and offered one to Lars. The prince's chief guard took the glass that was handed to him without hesitation. Perhaps this was why so many of his top officials enjoyed having meetings in this room. The liquor flowed easily in here! This, of course, all depended on the mood the often sulking prince was in, of course.

If he was thought to be in high spirits over something spectacular happening in his life, then there would be drinks all around! If he were distraught and depressed about something, Victor alone, would drink himself into a stupor, while he _grudgingly_ allowed the attendants of his meetings to take part in becoming as drunk as he was.

Lars could immediately sense that this was going to be one of those "grudging" moments.

The chief guard hastily brought the glass to his eager, waiting lips at first, ready to gulp the warm liquid down, but at the last minute, he remembered not to be so lush and to try to make the drink last longer. He began sipping it sparingly.

Prince Victor certainly would not allow him to get up to pour himself another drink this time. Nor would the pompous prince himself willingly offer him any more of the alluring spirits. So, Lars knew he had to make do with what he had.

"Well, man, what is on your mind?"

The prince's voice was bold and loud as it jerked Lars out of his musings with a start. After pouring out his own drink, Victor walked over to the chaise with a glass in one hand and a full decanter in the other.

Lars took note of this and concluded that Victor did indeed intend to get drunk.

The prince casually lounged on the chaise as he waited for Lars to respond to his question. But Lars could not take his eyes away from the beautiful decanter which sat on a table near the chaise for Victor's convenience. The prince was irritable now and hated repeating himself.

"I asked you a question, Lars!" Again, Lars nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of the ruler's voice, nearly spilling his drink all over himself.

"Err...Ah, Sire, Thomas informed me that he had been given strict orders from you, to have yourself locked away in the dungeon, far beneath the castle. Why was that, Sire?"

Victor darted angry eyes at his chief guard.

Lars gulped in fear and immediately regretted asking anything.

"Do you dare to question your prince, Lars about his affairs?"

"I...I'm sorry Your Majesty. I know it is not my place to do so. But I must say, you have been behaving rather strangely lately."

"Nothing is wrong." The prince added, with a dismissive air.

Seeing that he was ultimately getting nowhere, Lars was tempted to end his interrogation. But he could not erase the image of the torn up steel bars of the jail. Thomas was the first guard on the scene to discover it. He went to Lars and brought the strange occurrence to his attention.

Lars willed himself to go on speaking, while he watched Victor gulp down glass after glass of the contents of the decanter. The young ruler's eyes were beginning to turn red, but he was not _nearly_ intoxicated yet.

"The...the..." Lars hesitated in dread.

" _The,_ what?!" Victor impatiently snapped. He hated weaklings! Especially other men who were afraid to speak their minds. He had zero tolerance for those who stammered and for those who spoke like frightened little children. Was not this person sitting before him supposed to be brave? He was His Majesty's Chief Guard, for heaven's sakes!

"OUT WITH IT MAN!" The prince bellowed. The brandy was beginning to take effect.

"Thomas and myself discovered that the iron bars of your jail cell had been torn apart, and you were nowhere to be found. The next thing we heard is that you had been seen running naked in the forest. What happened Sire?"

Prince Victor by now, had brought the entire decanter itself to his lips and gulped down the brandy, nearly choking. He took a deep sigh afterwards before speaking.

 _Was I seen by someone other than Frederick?_ He hoped not!

" _I was asleep_ in the jail cell when it all happened, Lars. The next thing I knew, I was in the forest ducking behind trees and shrubs, trying to shield my indecent state. I reckon I had been kidnaped, perhaps by the beast everyone in the village had been gossiping about for ages.

I believe it was the creature who tore those bars apart and dragged me into the forest."

"When I awoke after some time, I noticed that I had cuts and bruises along my arms and legs and my clothes were all gone. I also smelled like the devil! Perhaps that wretched band of robbers which had been hiding out in those woodlands for months, were the ones who stripped me, not recognizing who I was."

In truth, Victor had absolutely no recollection of what had happened to him after he was transformed.

"Maybe the beast attacked you, and his odor got on to you." Lars tried to give his take on things.

"Maybe." The prince answered, rather absentmindedly as he took another generous swig from the decanter.

"So, somehow, this disgusting beast broke into the castle?" Lars' question was more directed toward himself than to the prince.

"Somehow." Prince Victor uttered, looking very tired now.

"Well, we did find the main entrance in shambles. We are still in the process of questioning the prisoners and the guards and even the servants, to find out if they had seen or heard anything unusual." Lars told him. "Thank goodness you weren't killed!"

Victor only raised his eyebrows as a response and continued on with his drinking.

"Now, here is my most pressing question, Sire." Lars was trying hard to make heads or tails of this strange event. "Why did you make the bizarre request to be locked up in the dungeon? That made no sense to us at all."

Victor only looked at Lars from the corner of his eye and gave him a sneer. Lars took the message to mean that it was none of his business. This time, he _knew_ to keep quiet and continue to sip his brandy. The angry look in the young ruler's eye told Lars that the questioning of His Majesty, Prince Victor, was officially over.

00000000000000000000

A dazed and distraught Ferdinand, struggled to pull himself up from the ship's floor. Luckily, that young sailor was there to help him to his feet. Ferdinand painfully mouthed the words, "Thank you," once he was standing. The sailor's heart went out to the old man and asked the merchant if he could make arrangements for him to be transported home.

Ferdinand's head was spinning and it felt like it was about to explode. He had a migraine now, and could not think straight. He had forgotten where he was for a split second, and rubbed his burning eyes and forehead.

"Whe...Where am I?" He managed to get his words out with much effort. The young sailor looked at the old, broken down man with great pity. Somehow he sensed that Ferdinand had been counting on the contents of this ship to restore his finances. He figured the merchant had been in dire straits for quite some time.

"You are on board the Lady Althea, your last, remaining ship." The young man told him. Ferdinand loved his wife so much that he named the majestic vessel after her before she died. But just like its namesake, it too was ready to be put into its "grave," so to speak.

His heart broke as he thought of her for the umpteenth time. He could no longer stand it. He _had_ to get out of that place and keep on going and not turn back. He decided he needed a ride. The sailor then sent someone into the neighboring village to find a farmer who could spare a horse. One was found within the hour, and soon, Ferdinand had reliable transportation.

The sailor questioned the old man's state of mind, but the half-hearted smile that suddenly came across the patriarch's rugged face, let the sailor know that the merchant would be alright.

The sailor helped Ferdinand mount the steed. It was a strong, animal and well able to take Ferdinand all the way back home. It was to be a long journey back to the cottage.

But the merchant had another idea. He needed to _forget_ his unpleasant situation. With the two mites he had suddenly discovered to be in his pocket, he decided to find a familiar place to drown out his sorrows. It was a place he frequented many years ago when life was good and a time when he wallowed shamelessly in the lap of luxury.

The tavern he had in mind was not too far from the docks. He signaled the horse to go in that desired direction. Soon, he would be a contented and happy customer at _The Bloody Bucket_ , drinking all of his terrible pain away.

00000000000000000000

Vanessa joyfully pulled a silk floral dress from an old trunk situated at the foot of a cot she slept in. Her uncle Anton Lotorious bought the lovely frock for her with money he stole...er.. _.earned,_ rather, from their illegal sales of the Miracle Elixir _._ She proudly held it up against her body as she gazed gleefully into a large oval full length mirror, admiring her reflection.

Herself, her uncle, the 3 foot man, who was named Thaddeus Templeton and the taller man, Milton Rothschild, the one who tricked the crowds in the last town with instantly grown hair, all shared the roomy wagon which was large enough to be furnished with four cots, and a few tables and chairs arranged for comfortable lounging. The space was even complete with a kitchenette, farthest to the rare of the wagon.

Vanessa's sleeping quarters were adequately shielded for privacy by a thick curtain. Today, she was elated and glorifying herself as she stood before the looking glass, because she had recently learned of some wonderful news. She had just heard the proclamation sent out by Prince Victor's servant, calling all eligible maidens to his castle for a grand feast. The prince had finally decided he wanted to get hitched, and the excited Vanessa believed _she_ was the ideal woman for the young monarch!

She _was indeed_ a nice looking girl with shiny golden locks, (whenever she tended to her hair, that is), and had been blessed with wide blue eyes. She was also blessed with a seductive figure, and of course, she had her youth, as she was in her mid-twenties.

She and her brother had been orphaned when their parents died in a mysterious fire which engulfed their home when she was two years of age and he was four. The youngsters were at school at the time of the tragedy.

Since then, their maternal grandmother became the sole guardian of the children for many years hence. But the sweet Christian woman died by the time Lotorious and his men escaped from prison. By then, Vanessa and her brother were no longer minors, and were old enough to make their own decisions. The grown brother and sister continued to live in their grandmother's house, long after her death.

When Lotorious arrived with his friends, Rothschild and Templeton, they used the deceased old woman's house as a hide out, since she was Lotorious' mother. While living there with his niece and nephew, Lotorious coerced Vanessa and Michael, her brother, into becoming participants in his numerous crime sprees. The brother and sister duo mainly picked people's pockets and there was a time when Michael actually shot and killed a man during a robbery which took place in the man's home.

Both siblings were hardened criminals and over time, they became nonchalant about their horrible deeds. Hurting people had been a _normal_ thing for them, and their uncle was partly to blame. He brainwashed them into believing they were invincible, and that the world owed them much!

It was a good thing their grandmother had gone to her grave because she truly would have been brokenhearted to see what her grandchildren had become after following her wayward son.

Vanessa hummed a happy tune and suddenly spun around, still holding the dress up against the front of her body. It was the perfect frock she planned to wear when she visited the prince's castle, to be among the countless maidens who were competing to be Victor's wife.

The thought of potentially becoming a member of royalty, made the girl giggle.

"What are you so happy about?" Milton Rothschild snapped. He and the 3 foot man were seated at a nearby table playing cards, smoking cigars and drinking.

"I'm going to the prince's feast!" Vanessa declared, beaming. "I will be Victor's new bride!"

"There will be none of that!" Dr. Lotorious shouted. He had been listening from the kitchenette. He used the sink back there to wash his face and to freshen up.

"Your business is here with us!" He sharply reminded her. "Besides, you wouldn't make a suitable bride, not even for a vagabond!"

Vanessa maliciously cut her eyes in her uncle's direction and viciously cursed him under her breath.

"And also,besides," added Rothschild, "You are betrothed to me!" He then took a long drag from his cigar, and eyed her with desire.

Vanessa turned up her nose at the man. He fell far below her high standards in what she considered to be an ideal man. He was nothing but a poor, common career criminal who could give her absolutely nothing in life. He was her uncle's flunky, nothing more, nothing less. Her uncle called the shots, and all Milton Rothschild could do was follow the crazy doctor's devious orders. Milton was not a leader. Her uncle was the one who had to do all the thinking for him too. Clearly, this was not the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with!

"You?" She dared to question him because she did not respect him. Vanessa looked at Milton as though he were something stuck on the bottom of her shoe. She surveyed his huge hairy hands. He was very tall, about 6 feet, 8 inches in height. He was also somewhat heavy set with a beer belly. And he was bald. His homely facial features left much to be desired, and he was clumsy.

 _Oh Rats! He actually resembles an ogre!_ She thought with great disdain. _I_ _can't imagine what our children might look like!_

"I will not be a pickpocket for the rest of my days!" Vanessa declared aloud with triumph to the men. "I was born to be a great lady!"

"Yes, that is why you were actually born a princess and you currently reside in a castle with your prince charming!" Her uncle responded, sarcastically.

"I will marry Prince Victor!" She dared to snap at him.

"Don't be silly! You should hear how bizarre you're sounding right now. You were born to be a pickpocket, whether you like it or not! It is your sad lot in life! It is all you are good for!" Lotorious growled at her.

Vanessa was now on the verge of tears.

"Now, we have a Miracle Elixir sales pitch to get ready for! I suggest that you put that dress away and get moving!" Lotorious spoke through clenched teeth.

Vanessa spun around and ran crying to her private quarters. Lotorious then began babbling to himself, but loud enough for everyone else to hear.

"She is indeed a nut case, that niece of mine! I must get her some psychological help! Prince Victor needs a woman who is an actual goddess! Surely, Vanessa can never measure up to that!"

Vanessa cried all the louder from her personal space behind the curtain. She was heartbroken from her uncle's harsh words. But she had a plan, nonetheless, and was fiercely determined to carry it out.

00000000000000000000

Freddy laid on his back on the plush bed of the luxurious bed chamber that had been prepared for him. After trying in vain to listen in on private conversations the prince had been having with his servants, the poor lad decided to return to the bed chamber to get some rest.

It made no sense anyhow to keep creeping around the palace.

The prince was obviously not a cheating boyfriend of his, so why on earth would Freddy care about what was being said in secret between the prince and his servants?.

He would let the matter go altogether.

As he lay there, pensively in the silence of the room, he did admire the beautiful surroundings and grandeur of the room. Of course, there were many other rooms in the castle just like it, but some how, he sensed that there was something special about _this_ room. It had a peaceful feel to it and it had an alluring way of drawing you into it, making you want to remain there, indefinitely.

The large latticed windows were opened wide so that the floral fragrances from outside, could drift richly into the room from the rose garden which was surrounding the castle.

Freddy watched intently as the white, silk curtains floated like angel's wings, as a soft zephyr blew into the room. A faint smile graced his lips. He felt like the mystical atmosphere was gently caressing him and lulling him to sleep.

But, he could not rest. Not just yet.

Something within him made him lose heart. Earlier, he had been so bold and determined to pursue the object of his affections. Now, he had suddenly changed his mind. He would not make a fool of himself. He was too darned shy, anyway to pursue _anyone_ for that matter! He had to face the facts. He was destined to live his life without a companion, and he just had to merely accept it.

He would _not_ go after Victor after all. He finally decided. Perhaps it was all for the best. He could feel his heart hurt like hell as a result of his decision.

 _What am I going to do know?_ An image of the prince's angelic face, stubbornly stuck in his mind _._

 _I have to forget you, although my heart aches for you!_

Another thing he was strangely sensing, was that something amiss had been happening with his family regarding the two people he loved the most. He hoped and prayed he was only imagining things.

But for now, Freddy would let himself drift off into a sound nap, then afterwards, he would return home to set things right, if anything was indeed wrong.

The royal doctor had come into the bed chamber earlier to examine him. All the aged man with the long white beard found to be wrong with him, was nothing more than a bad case of nerves. Thankfully, the lad was over that now.

But sadly, the true ailment he could not be cured of, was the ailment of love.

Freddy breathed a labored sigh as a single tear rolled down his cheek. He swallowed the lump in his throat, sniffled, then turned on his side and eventually fell fast asleep.

00000000000000000000

Charlotte lay on her lovely bed in a fetal position. Her eyes were almost swollen shut from nearly an hour of crying. Her mind raced as she wracked her brain trying to figure out who on earth was this girl that won the affections of her fiancé. Who was this harlot that hid behind trees and bushes trying to spy on her man?

If it took her the rest of her days, Charlotte would learn that wench's identity and have Winsome the witch, take care of both that girl and Richard! Charlotte would put her devious plan into action in the morning, after a good night's sleep.


	15. Chapter 15

The entire day rapidly vanished into what seemed like a strange, dreamlike blur for him. Where on earth did all the time go? The world all around him was soon enveloped in a depressing shroud of darkness, until, of course, that enormous full moon, suspended in the starry skies outside the bay window of his quiet study, made its presence known. Good heavens! How much longer would the earth's inhabitants be harassed by this lunar nuisance? The mere sight of it made him weary. Strange things were happening as of late because of it, he figured. How much longer was it planning on over staying its welcome?!

This was certainly a question Richard had already known the answer to anyway, being the outstanding scholar that he was. After all, he was proudly standing on the enviable threshold of future greatness, due to his groundbreaking contributions toward nineteenth century science.

 _Two more days_.

Yes, only two more days remaining for him to endure this huge, and unwelcome presence gleaming in the midnight sky. Its silver light imposingly illuminated the shadowed corners of the gloomy room.

 _Gloomy room?_

No. It wasn't the room...It was his mood! There was a lingering, ominous feeling which stubbornly gripped his heart since arriving home from that schoolyard earlier in the day. Try as he might, Richard was powerless to shake this annoying grasp of impending doom which seriously overtook him. It alarmed him so much so, that it caused him to have trouble breathing and then eventually swallowing!

Or was this endless panic all in his mind?

What began as a charming brand new day, which held all the delicious promises of suddenly running into that mysterious _fairy_ maiden and getting to finally speak to her, sadly and unexpectedly transformed into a bleak day of turmoil. It resulted in very hurt feelings for Charlotte, and paralyzing fear for himself around what Charlotte might do to him.

He felt like he was going to the gallows!

 _I'm so sorry that you got hurt, Charlotte. I should have told you the truth at the very beginning of our relationship... and that truth is...is that, I am not in love with you!_

Richard sorrowfully mused. He exhaled, suddenly relieving himself of the nagging discomfort mounting inside his chest.

 _I never was in love with you. I only wanted to make my parents and your parents...and even you, happy, by agreeing to this binding institution of matrimony! It had all been a wretched lie!_

He presently lamented his great folly. After this terrible chaos had unfolded, Richard now found himself learning a hard lesson in being honest with his feelings. Had he made it his priority to arrange a heartfelt, private talk with Charlotte about this matter, he probably would have saved himself all of this consuming grief!

He felt like he would ultimately stifle under the strain of these tormenting thoughts about how she might react, and what her present state of mind was actually like!

He understood all too well, that in the time he had known her, this woman did not handle rejection lightly.

 _I must stop worrying and put her out of my thoughts for now!_

The only time he was fortunate enough to be briefly delivered from his anguish, was when he finally managed to drift off into a peaceful sleep at his work desk.

While in the midst of trying in vain to busy himself with the endless calculations of mathematical problems, a thick, heavy cloud of drowsiness overtook him and hung over him, to effectively distract from Charlotte.

His brief unconsciousness was divine, indeed! Sleep was just the perfect medicine he needed to temporarily sedate his overactive ponderings.

After experiencing great turmoil for much of the day, his dreams were surprisingly peaceful and pleasant. So much so, that he actually believed he was a cherub, contentedly floating along on pink, cotton candy clouds, while joyfully strumming a small, golden harp. He was as contented as a weaned baby, only to be immediately awakened by a cool and intrusive burst of air.

The sudden force of wind seemed to roughly kiss his pale, tear stained cheek. As the force of it brushed past his ear, It seemed to harshly whisper to the young man to wake up and stop his silly weeping. It seemed to pointedly reassure him that everything was going be alright, after all.

Yes,...he had been crying.

But not because of Charlotte.

But because of..."her."

Richard's steely blue eyes almost immediately sprang open. He had an excited notion, or rather, he _dreamed_ the wind was actually the touch of that mysterious nymph's soft lips upon his damp, pale flesh.

He just _knew_ he felt her sweet presence in the room with him just then. Almost immediately, the gloom holding his heart hostage, dissipated!

A sudden perfumed zephyr, unexpectedly invaded his nostrils.

She _had_ to be presently hovering over him now!

The sharp, enveloping aroma of flowers is what gave her away, he smirked to himself. It told on her.

If she was trying to hide from him in the shadows of that room, she would not be able to do that much longer. He was filled with glee at the thought of easily discovering her hiding place within those familiar walls. He happily fantasized about pulling her out of the darkness to hold her tightly in his arms. _You mischievous little pixie!_ He then would sing into her ear, _I knew I would catch you..what made you think that you could escape from me?!_

The lovesick lad smiled wistfully to himself at this wonderful scenario. The strong floral scent continued to fill the room.

He loved the idea of her having a rosy fragrance lingering about her.

Then he saw himself slowly, yet cautiously, leaning in to voraciously inhale the floral sweetness which clung so tenaciously to her silky, auburn hair.

He would shamelessly indulge himself in her magical aura. Never in his life had he felt this way about anyone. He was under her spell!

He almost called out to this beautiful phantom in the midst of his great longing for her.

 _What is your name?!_ The young scientist inwardly agonized _._

 _Are you here with me now? Why won't you speak to me? I won't hurt you! Show yourself already!_

Did she eventually decide to leave the solid oak trees behind and the beautiful rose bushes of that wide, grassy schoolyard, to finally come in search of him here?

How he strongly hoped for that to be the case!

After several long moments of listening carefully and peering deeply into corners not generously bathed in crisp moonlight, Richard sadly concluded that his imagination had been supremely overactive tonight. There were no sounds, except for the wind blowing, and no unusual sightings of any ghostly feminine figures. He then concluded that he would be doing himself a tremendous favor in forgetting about this girl once and for all, and to get back to the massive task which lay before him. It had been quickly piling up!

He had to meet a fast approaching deadline for a research paper, due to the university's astronomy department, in just three short days!

He was very reluctant to pick up his pencil again. The last thing he wanted to do in that moment was to concern himself with tedious scientific matters!

Ordinarily, his work would have instantly lifted his spirits once he delved wholeheartedly into it. But ever since he shockingly came face to face with an eerily calm, yet irate Charlotte, the fearful Richard found it extremely impossible to concentrate on his current work at hand.

Charlotte!

He was very upset with himself for being so damned afraid of her!

But it was that sweet _fairy_ who kept him on the road toward genuine insanity!

 _She_ was the real cause for his descent into utter madness!

The growing knot in his bosom squeezed his innards so tightly, that it hurt whenever he thought of her!

He believed he would go insane if he didn't go out, at long last, to find this intriguing, and beguiling woman!

Was she even real?

Perhaps all of this time she might have truly been a figment of his imagination.

Her odd appearances in the schoolyard only proved that he had been working far too hard.

It was evident that the stress of his extensive research was now beginning to take its toll on him!

Richard was almost certain that no one else saw this curious creature except for himself!

But try as he might, he could not forget her.

An uncontrollable force suddenly took hold of him, strangely wooing him away from his research paper.

At length, his clammy, trembling fingers grasped the pencil.

After several short, uncomfortable minutes where he unceasingly squirmed in his plush leather chair, he eventually allowed his brain to drift off into a hypnotic state of concentration. He allowed his unsettled mind to eventually calm down to travel into mystical and unexplored places. Up until now, Richard had trained his brain to focus more on reality and to avoid anything fanciful, which simply did not exist. He was a scholar, for goodness sakes, and only things that could be measured and examined and explained, were the only elements worth paying attention to. He firmly held to these beliefs, that is, until, _she_ surfaced, and seemingly out of nowhere!

Now, he was finding himself leaning more towards exploring the newly discovered realms of the unexplained, which he had allowed his brilliant mind to successfully block out for so long. Once upon a time, fantasies were nothing but foolish rubbish to him! But if Richard thought he might find his mysterious, one true love in the world of "make believe," then so be it! It was a heck of a lot better than being chained to Charlotte in real life! He then relaxed and allowed his mind to freely drift into the the "zone."

It was the "zone of the unknown," so to speak.

The portals of his psyche led him into such weird and exquisite realms!

He enjoyed discovering the strange places of his psyche.

But he _had_ to make sense of what had been happening to him! He didn't feel like his normal self at all!

 _Is this what really falling in love felt like_?

He suddenly, yet gently gripped his writing tool and made it glide effortlessly across the cream colored surface of a blank sheet of paper which had been carefully positioned at an angle in front of him.

Instead of continuing on with his work, he was moved to do something else.

Richard began to expertly sketch lightly shaded images of a woman's slender, delicate form.

He drew her as he remembered her...

Half visible.

And he, being the ever gifted laborer in everything he put his diligent hands to, precisely captured the unique essence and likeness of her partial facial features. Using small, meticulous strokes with his pencil, a beautiful, alluring, and mysterious eye began to magically emerge onto the paper's smooth surface.

The lovesick scientist remarkably captured the curious, yet sad expression within that eye which he believed he noticed, as it peered intently at him.

It was official!

He was obsessed!

A steadily growing collection of drawings such as this one, was definite proof of his great obsession!

Numerous, drawn creations of her features, secretly existed deep within closets and drawers of his study and in other hidden places around the house.

And there were still yet piles of sketches haphazardly tucked under the thick mattress upon which he slept, in the cozy confines of his bed chamber.

Beautiful, countless drawings of what he had imagined her to look like, were purposefully stacked and shielded away from the prying eyes of his parents and from nosey housemaids. But even _he_ had to admit, that he kept those valuable, enchanting drawings in flimsy hiding places!

One sketch in particular, which he treasured above all the rest, had her exquisitely draped in the long, white, billowing folds of an elegant satin _wedding_ _gown!_

Yes, Richard had already purposed in his heart, that he would one day soon, wed this lovely apparition!

 _She_ was the woman he was eternally meant to be with! There was no doubt about that!

His wedding picture showed her to be staring out at him through the translucent veil which covered one side of her face. And even with her face half masked, she was supremely beautiful.

A warm blanket of love then took hold of him to wrap itself snugly around his body as he envisioned lifting this veil to at long last reveal the mysteriousness of her beauty. It had been kept from him for so long. He saw himself claiming her as his wife by sealing the deal with a heated and enduring kiss, once the priest gave him the go ahead to salute his bride.

Richard closed his wary, burning eyes, in ecstacy as he fantasized about their lips finally touching. Oh the vision was so real, indeed!

 _Ah, you wicked little elf! Why do you insist on hiding from me? Please don't continue to be shy! Don't torture me so!_

 _Your strange behavior is ultimately destroying me! I believe I am now sick with love for you!_ _I truly need to see your beautiful face!_

 _Not being able to touch you fills me with great sorrow!_

Then, he found himself cursing the very day he laid eyes on the pompous and overbearing Charlotte Wellington and her snobbish parents! If he had never met this self-indulgent and proud prima donna, he would certainly be free as an eagle to go after any woman he truly desired!

Then the worried young man suddenly had a most disturbing realization.

Charlotte just might try to kill him!

Who knew?

Oh, what nonsense!

He immediately dismissed this ridiculous notion and felt ashamed of himself for even daring to think of her in such a manner! Charlotte, _a_ _murderess_?

She couldn't hurt a fly!

After a few minutes, he managed to clear his spinning head.

Then, another thought followed. But this one was a rather pleasant one, to be sure.

He could very well be ultimately free of that loathsome witch! Why didn't he realize this before?

Charlotte herself even told him earlier, _not in so many words_ , that their relationship was over!

" _You are going to pay for this Richard."_ Her dreadful declaration relentlessly rang in his ears! However, as threatening as her words sounded, he could not help but simply...smile.

After the incredibly long and tedious months of suffocating courtship with this she-devil, Richard now found that he could at long last, breathe!

He was finally free of the clinging Miss Wellington!

Then he heard it! What was that sound?

The alarming noise sharply emerged from the darkened atmosphere. It was so surprising and so piercing, that it frightened him!

Be that as it may, it _was_ familiar. He hadn't heard it in ages, come to think of it!

It took him a few seconds to recognize the sound of his own... laughter!

As he almost keeled over in hysterics, firmly gripping his aching sides from overpowering glee, he marveled at how long it had been since he'd had a good guffaw!

Oh, and how extremely refreshing it felt!

His constant laughter was effective in ridding him of a multitude of pent up emotional toxins.

 _Gone_ was the nervous perspiring, the fake feelings of love for his ex-girlfriend, the heavy burden of pleasing everyone but himself, the many lies he told Charlotte about being excited about their upcoming nuptials...and more importantly, _GONE_ _was Charlotte!_

When he eventually calmed down and his unsteady breathing returned to normal, it took him a moment to completely relax. His mind was calmer and clearer now.

Silence.

A few minutes passed.

Then, yet another realization...

Richard remembered a terrible and depressing thought which gnawed at him from time to time.

He knew that if he ever tried to leave the self-absorbed Miss Wellington, there would be a great scandal! He and his family would be defamed by her prominent family, and he would not be able to continue his aspirations of becoming a great scientist because his name would have been dragged through the mud in wealthy social circles! What would his parents' rich friends have to say about this scandalous matter?

Damn it!

He had to find Charlotte and reconcile with her at once, and beg for her forgiveness!

It was the only way to save his family name!

And Richard strongly believed his "ex" fiancee would forgive him, too!

He had to go back to her! She would never be _GONE_ from his life now!

He would be eternally trapped!

 _Charlotte had the last laugh!_

Suddenly, he heard a shrilling voice in the shadows...or was it a scream? It came from behind him. Richard abruptly spun around in his chair to face Charlotte who hovered over him like a vulture ready to swoop in on him and devour his flesh. She tightly clutched a dagger which she held with both hands high above her head, ready to bring it thrusting down into his heart. His eyes went wide in terror as he saw the blade glisten in the moonlight as she fixedly aimed it at his pounding chest. The sound of his wildly beating heart filled his ears!

The knife was certainly coming in for a perfect landing to successfully become deeply embedded in him.

Death was inevitable. But then...

She suddenly halted.

She firmly held the blade suspended within inches from his heart.

"TELL ME WHO SHE IS...OR DIE!"

Charlotte fiercely bellowed!

00000000000000000000

Annabella and Alyssa enjoyed themselves so immensely at _The Wild Boar Inn_ that they put themselves to utter shame...not that they cared! They drank until they were almost falling all over one another. Alyssa threw up into the soil of a nearby potted plant. They sang vulgar songs loud and proud along with some uncouth male patrons. They themselves told lewd jokes which were unbefitting for well-bred ladies to tell...in public, at least. The sisters carelessly spat here and there on the inn's freshly polished wood floors, merely following the actions of their male counterparts, then they sat in inebriated men's laps and allowed themselves to be shamelessly handled by these uncivilized, drooling wolves.

The crazy, boisterous atmosphere of the inn was thick with the stench of smoke from old men's pipes. Lively tunes from violins, sent the happy customers into contagious fits of clapping their hands and stomping their feet to the steady and resounding rhythmic melody. This vivacious activity of course, had been accompanied by the constant roar of drunken laughter.

The more everyone drank, the more merrier and uninhibited they became, and the richer Mr. Fox became also, needless to say. He was like a fat, satisfied rat basking in his good fortune. He had his girls to thank for that, as always! Annabella and Alyssa made _The Wild Boar Inn_ the most popular establishment in those parts. If anyone wanted to have a _really_ good time, this infamous place for fun and frolic did not disappoint.

As the night wore on, things became considerably wilder.

At one point, Alyssa stood up on a long wooden table and did a little dance to tease the unruly "wild animals" who immediately surrounded her.

It was only a "tease" because she only bared her shoulders and lifted her long dress to reveal her shapely legs. Her actions sent a resounding series of cheers and whistles all throughout the place.

Mr. Fox, who had been lustfully looking on from behind the long mahogany bar was all smiles and was grateful that those two brash sisters had a talent for making gold coins steadily flow right into the inn's ancient cash register. Drinks flowed endlessly and money was loosely tossed at the sisters for providing exciting entertainment.

 _Those girls are good for business, indeed!_ Mr. Fox chuckled to himself as he chewed his tobacco _,_ baring a shiny, gold tooth.

After long hours of partying into the night, Annabella finally decided to sneak off with a burly sailor toward the upstairs rooms of the inn.

Mr. Fox, the ever cheerful proprietor grinned slyly and winked at Annabella, secretly signaling to her that he was thankful for her assistance in keeping the customers enthralled.

The sailor she was found to be wandering off with, had a dangerous air about him and he had a patch covering one of his eyes. His beard was scraggly and he was toothless. He wreaked of sweat and cheap liquor and there was dirt under his fingernails. Annabella certainly did not care in the least about how unkempt this fiend was. She was at the inn for a good time. That was all that mattered to her at that moment.

She smiled and winked back at Mr. Fox while waving goodbye to him as her unabashed sailor friend, roughly pulled her by her other arm. He impatiently led her towards the direction of the upper chambers. An impatient grunt came from his throat. Then he spat out some tobacco right onto the polished floors.

"Good night, Mr. Fox!" Her voice was a drunken slur. "I have a lot to celebrate tonight!" She staggered a bit as she tried to walk steadily. "My father's long, lost ship has finally surfaced, and our family is going to be... rich again!" A loud burp had unexpectedly escaped her throat as she spoke, breaking the flow of her sentence. "Do you hear me? Rich!" She joyfully threw her head back and laughed heartily. Then she swiftly turned on her heels to allow herself to be roughly tugged at. She and her beau then quickly disappeared up the stairs.

The few patrons within earshot of her words, did not take her seriously at all...neither did Mr. Fox. Everyone who knew them felt that Annabella and Alyssa were more likely to be gutter rats for the rest of their days than to suddenly join the ranks of the enviable elite!

Mr. Fox only chuckled at Annabella's foolish remarks and uttered, "Drunken harlot!" as he watched her go. "Ah, the bottle will make people say the craziest things!" He marveled.

Alyssa was now the only female left alone downstairs. She was left to entertain all those rowdy undesirables, who wasted no time in crowding about her. They ravenously swooped in on her like birds of prey, vigorously fighting amongst themselves and fitfully pushing and shoving each other to be her next waltzing partner.

She initially wanted to take her pick of one or two of them to spend some quality time with later on. But the excited crowd was beginning to overwhelm her. However, if she were to continue on with her drinking, she would happily decide to "dance" with them all!

00000000000000000000

As the rowdy night dragged on, one of the carousers suddenly yanked Alyssa by her arm and demanded to have her all to himself. He would allow no one else to partner with her. He roughly pulled her against his chest, nearly crushing her well developed bosom in the process. He pushed his thick, wet lips into her right ear and whispered to her, his hot breath tickling her skin as he talked, "What's your name love?"

The odor on his breath nearly made her collapse and she fought in vain to free herself from his iron grip. He refused to relent, so she figured she had no choice but to claw at his face,...which she did.

Then everything went black.

All that she could remember next was laying flat on her back on an old unsteady bed, with Mr. Fox, of all people, on top of her! She was mortified! Her reaction to this situation greatly surprised her since she was used to being with all sorts of undesirables.

But Mr. Fox was considered a good friend of hers and her sisters, and they looked fondly upon him as their protector and confidant. Could she be imagining things?

Surely, this huge, sloppy snake did not take his liberties with her!

She made a mental note to stop drinking once and for all to avoid these types of scenarios.

"Wha...What- hap...happened!" Alyssa wanted to scream. "What are you doing?!"

She squirmed wildly, and with great effort, under his tremendous weight.

Mr. Fox looked down into her pale, horrified face and smiled, baring all of his gold teeth.

He grinned slyly at her silly question.

"I saved you from that vermin downstairs." The proprietor's face was so close to hers that she could smell the pungent odor of liquor on him.

"You hauled off and scratched his face, and he knocked you unconscious." Mr. Fox explained.

"Then, I punched him in the face for hitting...a... err... "lady." Mr. Fox had to keep himself from suddenly bursting out into uncontrollable fits of laughter from describing her as a _"lady_ ," of all things! He could barely get the word to leave his lips without wanting to loudly bawl!

"I dragged you up here to this bedroom, and here we are. I'm just rewarding myself for saving you!"

Then, he did the unimaginable, as far as she was concerned. He brought his prickly bearded face down to hers and kissed her!

How dare he!

At this, Alyssa let out a shrilling scream. "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

"Awww...come now!," Mr. Fox placed a clammy palm firmly over her mouth and tried to quiet her. He managed to muffle the sound of her outburst. He found it curious that she would react this way. After all, isn't this the very thing she and her sister often did?

They "serviced" men, for goodness sakes!

"You don't have to scream, Miss Beaumont, a simple _"Thank you, for saving me, Mr. Fox"_ will do!"

With that, the vulgar proprietor, freely indulged himself on the stunned Alyssa.

00000000000000000000

Freddy gradually opened his eyes into pitch darkness. He had no idea as to where he was, presently. He was in a confused state of mind as he tried to sit up. Then he realized he had been asleep for a long time. He soundly slept the afternoon and the rest of the day away. Was he at home? As he lazily shifted his body to lay on his side, he found out right away that he was definitely not back at the lowly cottage by the sea, where he resided. The bed in which he slept was luxuriously soft and his legs were delightfully wrapped in the folds of imported silk sheets. He briefly had a flash back of sleeping on fine linen such as this in the past. Oh, how terribly long ago that was!

The bed felt utterly divine as he stretched his fatigued body and arched his back. His muscles were still stiff, not because of what he had been laying on, but because he simply refused to relax. He slept curled into a tight little ball and remained in that position for much of the night. Freddy was still a tense bundle of unrest since hearing the news that Prince Victor had been on a well determined quest to find the perfect bride for himself.

Why was life so damned unfair?

He slowly raised a hand to his eyes and wiped away the crusty film from their corners. He let out a deep sigh and inwardly scolded himself for crying over someone he simply could not have.

This dismal thought made him roll over in great frustration onto his stomach, where he deeply buried his face into a wonderfully plush, jasmine scented pillow.

 _A fantasy. That is all you will ever be to me..._ He sadly mused, as an image of the prince's ruggedly handsome face floated all throughout his unsettled mind.

Then, almost immediately, he thought of Andrea...almost on instinct!

 _My Goodness! Something is wrong at home! I just know it! Andrea needs me right now!_

The young scholar could not shake the mysterious mist of despair that seemed to float over his head. His fragile mental state had already been frazzled with gripping lovesickness over the prince. To top things off, ominous thoughts of his beloved sister being in certain danger made him want to faint! He could always tell whenever something had been amiss with her. He had a sixth sense where her welfare concerned.

With out wasting another moment, he roughly and nimbly pulled the silk sheets which had him entangled, off of his nude, sweaty body and jumped out of bed, with renewed energy. In that moment, he completely got his wits about him and suddenly he knew exactly where he was.

He was in the castle...the home of the one he adored. He hated to leave. But he felt that he must. Freddy _had_ to will himself to push the object of his desires far from his mind. Heated images of himself and the prince...

 _Ugh! No time for that sort of thinking now! I must get to my Andrea!_

He presently found himself carefully groping through the darkness to find the wash room, which happened to be adjacent to the guest bedroom where he stayed. He hurried inside it to get freshened up. As he ran himself a hot bath, he prayed hard that he was wrong about his dear sister being in trouble...but deep down inside of him, he knew his frightening premonition was correct!

00000000000000000000

Countless hours had passed since those evil women, fiercely irate with the knowledge of their husbands' blatant infidelities, came stomping to the cottage in search of her two rotten sisters. Poor Andrea had not since moved from that spot by the front door. She was in a great state of shock and badly shaken. She sat in the midst of a glistening sea of glass fragments, with her back erect against a wall. She stared blankly into space. Tears flowed continuously from her bright green eyes. The sitting room was pitch dark except for the light of the moon, faintly seeping in from under the closed front door. Its soft light gave the shiny fragments the distinct appearance of shimmering diamonds.

How strangely ironic, she thought.

There was beauty emerging from broken pieces of illuminated glass, that seemed to penetrate through the ugliness of her sad situation.

It was now about two o'clock in the morning.

The only sounds to be heard in the tiny room was the ticking of the old clock in the corner and Andrea's heavy breathing.

She sat incredibly still.

She did not care to get up from where she was positioned.

she was numb.

All that kept flowing through her head was how horrified those witches looked when they saw her disfigured face.

Is this how it was going to be for the rest of her life?

Men, women and children would look upon her as one would look upon a hideous monster, and turn to run from her, screaming.

What did she do to deserve a face such as this?

Andrea was deeply hurt by the women's loathsome reaction to her.

The girl's fragile heart was badly shattered like the glass she sat in.

It was clear to her now that no man would ever want her as long as she looked like this.

No man on earth...not even her former crush, Richard Chastain!

The tears flowed more rapidly and heavier as she pondered this reality.

She could not bare the thought of him fleeing from her in extreme terror. It was too much to take!

All of a sudden, she could feel the fingers of her right hand slowly gliding along the surface of the glass littered floor.

She was deliberately feeling around for something, while keeping her green eyes firmly fixed into the deep darkness.

Her long, trembling fingers kept gliding...gliding along the small space near her, until at last, she found what she desperately needed.

It was the right size.

It would end her pain.

She managed to find a fragment about the length of her hand.

Andrea carefully grasped it between her fingers. Then lifted it from the floor in slow motion, and brought it towards her left arm.

She found the spot.

Still staring blankly into the darkness, with her body shaking uncontrollably, she used the shard to slash her wrists.


End file.
